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 September, we received 460 requests. I emailed 933 answers. As for telephone calls, we got 30 that I returned using Skype for anonymity.  

International connections made this month:

(In the 1st week of September): Spain, Kenya, Hungary, Australia, Taiwan, Nicaragua, Poland, Canada, UK, Russia, Columbia, South Africa, Turkey.

And after: Luxembourg, Finland, Ireland, Mauritius, St Maarten, Haiti, Sweden, Chile

Remarkable events:

----------- Around the world: The office sent the New Meeting Kit to Kenya's only meeting. Taiwan's 1st meeting that we helped is now helping Nicaragua, Poland, and Spain. An event in California and an event in Russia connected via Skype. A man from S Africa asked how to start a meeting and one asked how to find a meeting. Spotlight on Turkey: A member reached out for literature help and translations offerings and a concern about ACA in Turkey. I emailed all the meeting contacts. I find that ACA in Turkey has fallen apart; there is only one group contact who holds 2 meetings and has done so for years. I am arranging to get a New Meeting packet to them as TUR001 qualified as 1st meeting in Turkey. That member followed up with several translated ACA readings in Turkish.  The island country of St Mauritius reached out to start the 1st meeting in their country, I am working with them. I contacted the only meeting in St Maarten and told them how to register and once they do that, I will arrange for a New Meeting free Starter packet for being the 1st meeting in their country, I'm asking her to send a list of professionals who might receive BBI packages. The Kenya meeting received their New Meeting Packet grandfathered in as 1st meeting in Kenya. A Haitian member will consider starting the 1st meeting in Haiti. A Chilean reached out for meetings as a newcomer I supported her to attend phone meetings, work her steps and maybe start the 1st meeting in Chile sometime. 

----------- Intergroups: - I sent a note to Bonnie and Martin informing IG's about the Big Book Initiative and ABC Proposal drafting for groups. PA IG reached out for guidance on a telephone meeting issue. FL IG is writing a letter to the FL board of psychiatry as an ACA outreach. I told them about the BBI program and linked the subcommittee to them. Washington DC is going to start an IG! I connected them to the S.Comm. After the motion passed for the IG subcommittee to start, they are on their way to providinag a networking system to link IG's. Connecticut is still running well. 

-----------ACA Teen: - A non registered phone step study meeting asked about ACA Teen guidelines "should the teen attend the same meeting where the parent is, and what is the age limit?".

 ----------- Teamwork: Gloria-49, Office-18 Majbrit-7, MaryJo-4. Ines-1 Larry-8. Joan-7 Martin and Bonnie-3 Executive Board: 1. I copied several emails to Roe, Bonnie and Jude for "find a meeting" responses. Roe stepped back from her committee consideration for MPS but remains interested in service.  

 -----------Events:   3- events were added (October event in N. California, W. Great Lakes IG posted a convention, a 2015 Arizona event was added) There are 5 Non WSO sponsored events listed. There are 2 WSO sponsored events listed. Another bulk email went out advertising an event in S. Ca after repeated direction to NOT use WSO website as a database for bulk emails and flyers, numerous members are complaining about receiving unwanted emails in a "copy" type of email where all email addresses are visible to all receivers. I have been very clear repeatedly that this action of theirs is not okay. After the most recent bulk mailing from the same sender, I emailed him about this breach of Anonymity and the improper use of the WSO database to compile bulk email lists and yet I have received no reply. 

----------- Public Information related: Here is a list of who is getting BBI packages: A counselor in Spain, an addictions clinic in Spain, a KY counselor a NY therapist, a NJ therapist, a South African professional, local High Schools and Public Libraries, the Caron Center which holds Adult Children 5 day treatment programs, my sister who is a social worker in CO, one text went to each of the 35 WI chapters of the National Alliance on Mental Illness, worker in PA who works with Intellectual Disabilities Services. A phonebridge member is compiling a list of Veteran Affairs facilities that works with adult children. We got 3 requests that were qualified for BBI pkgs too that I sent to Majbrit and Joan. A CODA meeting asked permission to include ACA literature in their meeting literature/flyers and I worked with them. I found out that my sending of the Identity Papers to BBI folks was not okay to do even though it is on the ACA Forum, I thought I had it right, and yet I didn't (thank you Larry) by the time I'm done in April I hope to know EVERYTHING!! 

-----------From the fellowship: Telephone meetings: 1 anonymous complaint, 1-request for guidance for a suggested newcomer packet to send via email, I made a template. I reached out to a meeting in TX named "ACA Video Meeting" to find out what that meant. Now and then someone asks for a group inventory such as Alanon has. A member asked for help since the meeting has a lot of profanity. A MN member offered to be a speaker. Is Tony A's literature ACA approved? One day 8 people let me know the meetings page was down and it was fixed by the next day. "What meeting readings are required?" "Is it okay to use our 7th Tradition donations to send someone to a recovery weekend?" Conference approved questions around Tony A and Melody Beattie. "What is the correct way to post ACA literature/flyers at an AA meeting?" Three meetings reached out for specific guidance about complex meeting issues. It's not uncommon for a non ACA member to request how to start a meeting when they've never worked the ACA program or attended an ACA meeting. A new group sprung up on the Hawaiian island of Kailua. 

-----What I heard a lot this month:    How do I get meeting insurance? How do we do a step study in our group? Where is the ComLine? How do we donate? How do I find a sponsor? =