Religious persecution. It happens every day around the world. Did you know that a reported 215 million Christians are persecuted for their faith and an estimated 90,000 are martyred each year?
Patrick Carberry, the founder of Joshuacord, felt an immense burden to tell the stories of Christian persecution. Carberry, a resident from Valrico, retired from a U.S. government agency where he witnessed firsthand this persecution while working in the Middle East. His nonprofit is dedicated to raising awareness and providing support to the oppressed and persecuted Christians around the world.
More than two years ago, Carberry began collaborating with Jordan Allott, a film director and owner of In Altum Productions, to call attention to this issue through an expository documentary titled, Christians in the Mirror: Stories of Courage and Faith in the Face of Persecution From Syria, Iraq, India, Sudan and Egypt. Also joining in the effort is Paul Jallo of Jallo Oil Distributors, who acted as one of the executive producers.
The documentary premiered on June 10 at the Miracle Theatre in Washington D.C. The film is described as “an expository documentary that is a provocation for Christians to look into their ‘Christian mirror’ as a disciple of Christ and to see what the reflection brings to light.” The producers hope to shed light on this situation and inspire those in the body of Christ to take action by helping their suffering brothers and sisters in Christ.
“From the demolished streets of Aleppo, Syria and northern Iraq, to rural villages in India, South Sudan and Egypt, what stood out to me the most during my travels filming Christians in the Mirror was not just the unbelievable persecution these Christian communities endured, but the inspiring faith and fortitude they displayed in the face of all that devastation,” said Allott.
“The persecution of Christians is not just a Christian faith issue, it’s also a human rights issue, and we should all be concerned and act to help those in need,” Carberry said. “My wish is that this documentary will bring awareness to these injustices.”
The premiere in Washington D.C. will serve as a springboard for screenings across the nation. Visit http://christiansinthemirror.com/. View the trailer on YouTube.
