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 July, we received 468 requests. I emailed 345 answers. As for telephone calls, we got 61 that I returned using Skype for anonymity.
International connections made this month:
UK, Canada Denmark Spain (Madrid) Brazil, Mexico, Australia, Chile, Uganda. Brazil, Ireland, Norway, South Africa, Latvia, India, Poland,
Remarkable events:
-----------Around the world: A new mtg is registering in Madrid Spain. Brazil NA reached out to let us know of their efforts, I forwarded both to Ines for her service. A member in Mexico reached out and I am working to help them start a meeting close by. A member in Chile sought out a sponsor list and I encouraged her down the road to possibly start the 1st meeting in Chile. A person in Uganda reached out and I am working closely with this person to do what I can for that country. Norway reached out for meeting list and phone list. A member from India said thank you for the WSO help in getting their literature for their new meeting in New Delhi, the office was very helpful they said.
-----------Intergroups: - Since I was subscribed to the Intergroup Google Group my stats were inadvertently misreported for April, May and June, I edited them for accuracy and asked to be removed from the Intergroup Google Group. I highly value the service that is being done, I feel that accurate reporting is important too. An Intergroup in CO asked for some guidance on IG structure. An IG asked if the TC could be recorded for their IG to listen to after the fact. As a matter of course when a new mtg starts, I hook that meeting up with their closest IG for support. And when groups have questions and needs, I answer their questions and help them and I also include their local IG's information as a reminder that they have a close resource in the service structure to whom they can turn for support.
-----------ACA Teen: - One member asked about knowing more about ACA Teen for the possibility of starting a meeting. I put her in contact with the Las Vegas meeting and Majbrit. UK reached out for guidance about a 15 year old wishing to attend ACA.
-----------Teamwork: Gloria-34, Office-24 The office noticed some of our literature has the wrong email address for MPS and that will be corrected. Majbrit-10, MaryJo-1. Ines-4 Larry-10: One was to add another member to the Polish translation team and another about the meditation book printed out of order and pages missing and falling out and a question asking if a meeting can pre-record the literature to be read at a phone meeting. Joan-0 Executive Board: 0
-----------Events: 1 event was edited. An event in Washington and Michigan were posted. There are 7 Non WSO sponsored events listed. There are 2 WSO sponsored events listed.
-----------Public Information related: A person asked to include The Laundry List The Problem The Solution The Promises & The Steps in a book that will be used in workshops to train facilitators who, in turn, will be working with people with addictions and their loved ones, I sent them the steps and procedures for that and am waiting to hear back. The Special Populations Coordinator @Cerritos College asked to include our information in their resource manual for students. A S African recovery treatment center reached out for materials for clients, setting up a BBI pkg. I updated ACA's information in the 211 Catalogs for LA County Sacramento and Vermont. I arranged to have a BBI package sent to the Turning Point Center of Chittenden County in Burlington, Vermont, They said they serve about 4,000 guests seeking recovery from alcohol and drug addiction and are attempting to build a library that can offer support literature to their guests, I also used MPS budget for the trifolds and a workbook at their request. I added ACA as a resource in the new directory "wheretoturninindiana" we're listed under recovery. I received a question "I'm a student, may I attend an ACA meeting for a paper I'm doing?"
-----------From the fellowship: Telephone meetings: 6 concerns, 7 requests for guidance. A member received an unwanted flyer for a workshop; I am in contact with the sender. Several requests were made this month to send a meeting list in the mail. A member asked if there are any mtgs on Facebook (no) and another asked 'can I reprint trifolds for members'? (yes) 4 Members alerted WSO that they received flyers for a convention in S California and I contacted the sender informing him that the "meeting contacts" email addresses on the website are not provided for sending flyers. It is still up in the air if their committee will abide by this or not. A member shared the Tony A book is on Kindle. I worked with 2 meetings on finding solutions for delicate issues. A member asked if ACA is the same as Adult Children Anonymous. And a member asked "We're running out of ACA speakers for our speaker night, can we have AA or Alanon speakers?"
MPS NOTE: For all of the requests for guidance that I don't explain in my reports, I am always able to find my answers in the literature and I share that guidance with the fellowship. I remind them that we have no special WSO book that we use for answers, other than what is in our literature. And they often are just surprised that their answer was there all along.
-----What I heard a lot this month:
I can't reach the meeting contact, can you tell me if the meeting is still there? How does our meeting conduct a step study? How do I start a new meeting? What's my meeting number for donating? Do you have a therapist in my city? Do you have a sponsor list? Where's the ComLine? I need to find a meeting for my family member/friend.
"I am glad to find people like me. It is like get home after 37 years lost!"
"Just wanted to give thanks for your services. Keep helping others!"
