I joined my home group in Amman, Jordan a year ago today. Back then there was 12 of us, and we had no in-person meeting. We participated remotely in meetings held in Egypt.

Gradually, our group began to grow, and our voice of recovery grew louder. We established our first in-person meeting, and three months from now, we will celebrate the first anniversary of our meeting—a place where miracles happen and where joy and freedom reside. One member celebrated his first year of sobriety, another celebrated six months, and I recently celebrated ten months.

In our physical meetings and in our WhatsApp group, I get to see my fellows strive for sobriety, stumble, and then get back up and continue. I feel a great sense of joy when new members join our group. I am very happy seeing newcomers attend their first meeting all nervous and shy and then courageously open up about their past, begin asking for help, and offer it in return.

Now, we meet twice a week, once remotely on Tuesdays and once in person on Fridays. We are still learning about business meetings and, with Higher Power’s guidance, we strive to cultivate a conscientious spirit as we prepare the room to welcome all the newcomers God is leading to us.