The nation-wide, live-streamed event became a space for honesty, vulnerability, and connection
For 24-hours straight, between noon on October 9th to noon on October 10th, Andrea Pickett, the Executive Director of My Father’s House in Gresham, was sitting on a bench outside, braving the cold, rain, and dark.
Why was she doing such a thing?
She was taking part in a nationwide “Conversations on a Bench” event initiated by Citygate Network. The goal of the event was to unite outreach ministries across North America. Citygate Network is a faith-based association of rescue missions and life-transformation ministries across North America. The purpose of this event was to shine a light on the realities of homelessness and the power of compassion to transform lives. The event was live-streamed on Facebook and YouTube and the public was invited to watch, participate in person, or submit questions and prayer requests online.
A safe place
My Father’s House participated in the event in “an effort to shift public perception around homelessness and offer raw, unscripted moments of human connection.” After the event, Pickett said, “One theme that surfaced again and again was that there’s no “one size fits all” approach to working with people experiencing homelessness. Every individual has a story, and those stories shape who they are and how they arrived where they are. Listening to these stories often reveals the root causes of homelessness—and without understanding those roots, we can’t truly help. With God’s wisdom, we can discern how to walk alongside someone and guide them toward lasting self-sufficiency. Anything less is merely applying a Band-Aid to a much deeper issue.”
Listening, healing, and hope
For one day benches across North America became more than just places to sit — they become spaces for listening, healing”, and hope. Ministries, recovery centers, and outreach groups took part in “Conversations on a Bench”, inviting open, humanizing discussions about homelessness, addiction, and mental health. The conversations unfolded both in person and through a continent-wide livestream, connecting thousands of people — from small towns to big cities — in a single movement of compassion and understanding, sharing real conversations with community members, leaders, former residents, and passersby.
My Father’s House did their part to make this a reality. Pickett sat on the bench livestreaming one-on-one conversations with community members—ranging from local leaders and donors to former program participants and curious passersby. The bench was a platform for truth-telling, healing, and hope. Picket says, “Sitting on the bench with current and former residents reminded me how much wisdom, resilience, and hope live inside ordinary people. It’s a privilege to witness God at work in their lives as they rebuild their dignity and discover hope again.” She adds, “We often refer to the ‘homeless crisis,’ but that language misses something important. What we’re really facing is a human crisis. Each person without a home is a beloved child of God—with a name, a story, and inherent worth. Regardless of the choices they’ve made or the circumstances they’re in, they deserve to be treated with respect, love, and compassion.”
Pickett summarizes her impressions of the experience by saying, “In the end, the bench became more than just a piece of furniture. It became a space for honesty, vulnerability, and connection—a place where God’s presence and grace were evident. What if we had more “Conversations on a Bench”?
About My Fatherís House
My Father’s House began its work from a single house in 2001. It is a Christ-centered nonprofit shelter ministry that provides homeless families with safe housing, spiritual guidance, and case management in a caring environment. They equip families with the life skills they need to regain stability and become thriving, contributing members of the community.
For more information or to donate visit their website: www.familyshelter.org. HVN
The event was live-streamed on Youtube on their channel https://www.youtube.com/@MyFathersHouseGresham/streams.