
June 19th, 2011 – A young woman stands before the hundreds of members of her local church congregation. As their applause rises to deafening volumes, it becomes obvious that ministry leader Perri Storey is not acquainted with the spotlight, nor is she comfortable with the adulation she’s currently receiving. Yet, with The Rock Church’s Rock Heroes award in her hand and several other prestigious accolades for the ministry already under its name, she may well need to.
Never Knew a Father’s Love addresses a powerful need in a hurting community. Just look at the statistics (provided by NKAFL and Absent Father Documentary) and its clear the roll of a strong but loving man in the home makes a lasting impact:
- The #1 predictor of sexual promiscuity in girls is an absent father.
- 65% of children in absent father homes live in poverty.
- 71% of High School dropouts are from fatherless homes.
- 85% of jail and prison population are from fatherless homes.
- An estimated 24.7 million children live absent from their biological father.
Being a child of these statistics herself, Perri saw her pain as a way to reach and help others survive and grow through similar situations. Rather than be a victim, she became a leader. With a brother serving life in jail and a heart that lost its trust in men, she turned her life and her time over to God and through that relationship Never Knew a Father’s Love was born. NKAFL provides resources and services such as: support groups, mentorships, financial assistance and scholarships as well as crisis care, advocacy, outreach and workshops. The group meets every Friday night at the Rock Church in San Diego and also provides community outreach to the homeless every Sunday. The group is even planning a Biweekly Zumbathon in the near future.
The ministry staff, currently six members strong; along with its members and supporters have helped to spread the word of hope and love by ministering to over 1,500 people through various events and venues. Its provided over $1,300 in financial assistance to families and victims in need and has logged over 900 hours of volunteerism to their local fire department. At every turn these once emotionally and spiritually broken individuals have banded together and formed a family that was about more than just wallowing in their pain, but instead finding healing through Christ and using that healing as fuel to reach the communities around them.
Their official website sums it up best:
“We want to be the love that we didn’t get growing up. We want to provide love, support, resources, mentorships, and financial assistance to families in crisis because there is no father in the home. God desires to use this ministry to usher in healing for men and women who never knew a father’s love.”
Never Knew a Fathers Love (NKAFL) is a ministry of the Rock Church San Diego and exists to provide love, support, and resources to those who are growing up or grew up without a father’s love. Its ministry leader is Perri Storey and can be contacted through their official website found at: http://www.therocksandiego.org/ministries/neverknewafatherslove/. NKAFL wants to fill the love void – One heart at a time. We are love to the broken.
The Rock Church is located in San Diego, CA and is one of the fastest growing churches in the nation. Lead by Pastor Miles McPherson, formerly a San Diego Charger; the church pursues a mission to Save, Equip, and Send out a highly motivated ARMY of believers who engage every segment of society while remaining true to our DNA. For more information about the Rock Church and its ministries visit: http://www.therocksandiego.org