ACA members accepting the call of service work provide the energy we need to do the good work of ACA around the globe. There could easily be 300 million adult children in the world, so the work ahead remains steady. But we make progress each day. p.536
In April, we received 578 requests. I emailed 675 answers. As for telephone calls, we got 90 that I returned using Skype for anonymity. I submitted my ABC report for April 2013-March 26 2014. I attended the ABC Conference as MPS Chair and TEL173 representative.
International connections made this month:
Canada, UK, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, Bulgaria, Japan, Belgium, France, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Luxembourg, Czech Republic, Tanzania, Mexico, Denmark, Poland, China, Ireland, India, Vienna,
Remarkable events:
-----------Around the world: I'm trying to encourage an English speaking Spaniard to start her own English speaking meeting to replace the one that used to be registered. Mexico is going to start a new meeting with Ines' help. A member from China contacted us for support and a few days later attended his 1st ACA phone meeting. A new meeting in Delhi India contacted me and we are working together to help that meeting grow. A Chinese member sent in a request for us to send literature to area therapists and we are working to get that done so that her meeting will have an inflow of members.
-----------Intergroups: I received a Netherland IG response to my letter and expect to get to know them better. Poland is starting the 1st Intergroup so I sent them basic IG helps and connected them to the IG guidelines effort. I got a concern from the Denmark IG and even though it is part of the EU I am helping out. A member from Denmark expressed concern with a few Danish meetings and will meet with the IG for support. Montreal IG reached out to say that they will be meeting in May and will discuss the questions that I asked and respond back afterwards.
-----------Teamwork:
I am thrilled to welcome Nicole as a member of the MPS committee. She will try it out on a temporary basis. I copied her to many emails for a week or so and mid-month she said she was ready to handle "how do I find a meeting" questions. If the member gives a zip code I will send it to her. She will reply copying me until I see she's got her legs. During the ABC in Chicago Laura volunteered to join the MPS team and we are in the beginning stages as well. I sent Majbrit: 18, and a few templates for her use. I sent Gloria: 34, MaryJo 1. Larry: 7, I sent to Larry information about a Facebook page that is uploading a picture of our Meditation book everyday and a BRB typo a member sent in and a Denmark member who made a distributes her personal PDF using ACA literature and a member who offered her service as an editor. MaryJo and Scott were leaned on one day when we got locked out of the Vonage account. . I sent Ines 3 and one of them was from the Madrid group that is translating and are now working on Chapters 16, 17 and 18 and Appendices A and B. ABC requests were common this month and I leaned on Joan for those. I sent her 3, and one of those was from a member who asked what would be involved in sponsoring the 2015 ABC in Long Beach CA.
-----------Public Information related:
WV "Faces Family Services" asked if they can "run" meetings for their clients, a Nyarugusu Refugee camp in Tanzania reached out for help in their country and I replied with information and guidance. A FL Family Workshop Program and a MD caseworker that services adult homeless and a 2 FL therapists reached out and will all receive BBI packages. A Marriage and Family Therapist is an ACA member and after ACA recovery will be starting an ACA meeting as a member, not a therapist (I grilled her quite a bit to be sure this was ACA based and not therapy based). A student from a Addiction and Community Degree asked about attending meetings as part of their studies.
-----------Events: 2 were posted and 1 was cancelled due to not enough funds. A member asked how to put on a sponsorship workshop, her group wants to hold.
-----------From the fellowship: Phone meetings had 1 complaint and a few requests for guidance --A member said they are cancelling a 5 day a week Skype meeting, I responded to let her know, it was never registered. --"What are the rules about how you introduce yourself in an ACA meeting?" --Can an Alanon or AA member be a speaker at an ACA meeting? --There were a few requests for guidance on meeting issues and I directed the members to use their business meetings to voice their concerns and allow the groups to find their solution together. --A member asked about WSO producing and advertising a new piece of literature that he and his friend wrote, I explained the steps that ACA uses for literature. A member asked about using a book called "The Recovery Bible" in their new ACA registered meeting, I provided fellowship text excerpts to communicate why that wouldn't be appropriate in a registered ACA meeting. A member said that in her job she was talking about a page from the Meditation book with a customer, the customer was so interested, she purchased the book. A member said she attends 3 VA mtgs that are registered yet they call themselves Adult Child Anonymous, she will bring that up at the business meeting.
-----This month's Common comments:
Do you have a sponsor list? I need to find a meeting for my family member. Treasury questions. Where's the Comline? Can we have other literature on ebook? Can someone tell me if the meeting I want to go to is there for sure? Crosstalk, Tradition breaks in meetings. Can WSO help our meeting get insurance? Is there an ACA bill of rights? Can we reprint trifolds for outreach and newcomers?
One of my favorite requests was: A member asked me to sponsor her, I explained that I wasn't able to do that, but would she please keep seeking some form of ACA sponsorship and follow up with me on her results. She emailed a few days later to announce she found an ACA sponsor.
