What a wonderful day we have today to celebrate the Feast of the Immaculate Conception of Our Blessed Lady and the opening of our women’s shelter right here in the Cape Region. We recall that Our Lady was also unsheltered in the fullness of time, so it’s fitting that our women’s shelter finds its beginning on this feast day.
Yesterday December 7, 2023, St Jude the Apostle together with the Lutheran Church of Our Savior Church on Bay Vista in Rehoboth Beach reached an agreement to host the Code Purple Women’s shelter for the 2023-2024 season. Code Purple @ St Jude is entering our second season with our unsheltered men. God be praised. Our new women’s shelter is now open for business, and we welcome all unsheltered women to join us in a safe, warm, caring and comfortable environment at LCOS.
As we have expanded, so has our need for volunteers expanded. Last season we operated successfully with six volunteers each night over the 105-night season from December 1 – March 15. During that time, we had more than 85 volunteers from throughout the region participate in front line roles including our 2 evening intake assistants (1.5 hours each night), 2 bus drivers, morning, and evening (1.5 hours each night & No CDL required) and 2 Overnight Hosts (10 hours continuous). Now with the opening of the women’s shelter at LCOS we have added 2 additional volunteer roles for women only, 2 Overnight Hosts (10 hours continuous).
So, we have now eight roles available every night!
As if the miracle of our opening the shelter is not enough, Our Lord continues to bless us with his grace and mercy by moving the hearts of our community to volunteer in His service through Code Purple @ St Jude. With more than 800 roles to fill, we are currently more than 50% filled in the first couple of days the program has been open! Why, you might ask. There is something in the first moment of engagement between the Code Purple volunteer and their guest that is overwhelmingly blessed. Many, who have had first experiences with our guests, remark about their challenge to manage their emotions while understanding the emotional journey of their guests. At some point, usually the following morning, our volunteers begin to realize how close they came to meeting the face of Christ in disguise. Like we see in Luke 5, they have put out into deep water, overcome their initial hesitation, and found what they had been seeking in their restless hearts.
If you have considered volunteering with Code Purple recently, there is one more reason today to join our team, if you are already a part of this ministry please celebrate the gift of shelter for our unsheltered women as an important step in fulfilling the corporal works of mercy that Our Lord asks of us in Matthew 25.
God Bless
Mike
Mike Agnew
Code Purple @ St Jude The Apostle
152 Tulip Dr
Lewes, DE 19958
O:(302) 644-7300
M:(215) 290 2689
codepurple@stjudelewes.org