I have gratitude for the wonderful SA International Conference just completed in Madrid, Spain and want to share a HP moment. I came home believing I could go most anywhere in the world today and find an understanding SA friend to welcome and listen to me.

Roc O. and I, stayed to visit the renowned Prado Museum. On the third level of this huge museum, we turned a corner and bumped into Roman & Gayla from Ukraine. They met while sober in the program, married, and traveled together to the conference.

Gayla said through her Google translator that she had a picture for me. She reached into her bag and tore from her sketch book a pen drawing she had made of Nicholas and I leading a panel session in the auditorium. There was no reason to believe we would ever see each other again—and yet she found the person she had sketched.

Gayla and Roman wanted to also see the Reina Sofia museum, so we did. There we met other members of the local SA group. They invited us to attend the Monday night regular SA meeting. We found our way there and entered an old church. Nearly every sexaholic there was from a different country! We felt the hand of God guided us to the meeting so we could each return to our respective countries knowing we had program friends wherever we travel.

Below is Gayla’s drawing. It’s on the wall where I meditate and grow in my program. It will help me remember how precious my sobriety is. Thank you HP.