Roma Downey and Mark Burnett, Producers of "The Bible" and "Son of God" Movies—Launch $25 Million Outreach to Christians of Iraq and Syria

Aimee Herd : Oct 28, 2014
Jeremy Weber – Christianity Today

"Things are very urgent. We have to move fast. Winter is coming. This week's rain will soon be snow."

Powerhouse TV couple; Mark Burnett and Roma Downey have apparently been greatly moved with compassion over the extreme plight of Christians displaced from Iraq and Syria by the terrorist group ISIS.

According to a Christianity Today report, the couple—who recently produced the highly successful TV mini-series; "The Bible," and its big screen adaptation; "Son Of God"—have launched an effort to raise $25 million to:

(1) inject a cash infusion to select Iraqi and Syrian churches because they know their communities best and can identity which families are in greatest need; and, (2) provide winterized, waterproof shelter. Also, we will simultaneously begin our Restore phase, using a small amount of money to establish a "Documentation of Truth" center to record the atrocities committed against Christians, and others, over the last several months while also recording stories of hope, courage, and partnership between Christians and those Muslims who love peace and tried to protect their neighbors.

Mark and Roma's "Cradle of Christianity Fund" will reportedly be administered by the Institute for Global Engagement (IGE) in a strategy they're calling, "Rescue, Restore and Return."

Chief of staff for Mark and Roma; Johnnie Moore recently visited Iraq and said of the Christian and other refugees, in the CT report, "Having fled their home with nothing but the clothes on their backs, and having seen unspeakable things, these brothers and sisters-in-Christ are severely traumatized, mostly without shelter. Things are very urgent. We have to move fast. Winter is coming. This week's rain will soon be snow."

Moore and IGE director Chris Seiple met with King Abdullah II of Jordan as well as patriarchs of the Eastern churches in the area to discuss the plan to help the suffering Christians and other minorities who have been forced from their homes.

King Abdullah II is said to have been "outspoken on the need to keep Christians in the region as integral to a Middle Eastern identity," according to Seiple.

To find out more about Roma Downey and Mark Burnett's 'Cradle of Christianity' Fund to Rescue, Restore and Return Christians and their Communities in the Middle East, Click Here.