By Jacqui Palumbo

Mark Peterman shot the cover story for the September 2012 issue of Christianity Today on individuals who are working to improve their community in Phoenix, Arizona. The story profiles Phoenix christians who are helping illegal immigrants, a topic that is especially complicated in the city of Phoenix. Peterman photographed Alfonso Vazquez for the cover, a boy who was brought to the United States illegally at age 4 and now works with his local youth group to encourage residents in the Hispanic community to register to vote.

Also photographed for the story were Ian Danley, director of Neighborhood Ministries, Charlotte Thrall, co-founder of Community Health Outreach, which gives care to the uninsured, and Joe Johnston at Agritopia, a man preserving the agricultural heritage of the rural farm community in Gilbert, Arizona.

For more of Mark Peterman's work, visit his portfolio.