We are delayed in answering our group correspondence. We walk slowly, but we’re united in our purpose. Our unique group in Rio de Janeiro has six assiduous members. Others come a couple of times and disappear. Our recovery is slow, but we’re united, having always in our mind the desire to be well.
Our meetings are still small. Usually it’s me and someone else. I’ve been in contact with people around the country, but probably not as much as I should be. We’ve started to have monthly business meetings, too. It feels good to be sober, and the program works if I put it into action.
SA is alive in Albuquerque with four meetings per week and about 20 to 30 participating members. A few members have more than two years and several have a year of sexual sobriety. In summer 1990, the four groups and particularly newcomers to all the groups found they did not know who attended the other meetings, where collections went, who ran the phone line, P.O. Box or Central Office contacts.
The Central Office gratefully acknowledges the contributions recently received in answer to our request for additional financial support. It seems self-evident that, as a fellowship, SA must maintain a central clearinghouse in order to make it possible for sexaholics who still suffer to make contact with local members of the fellowship.
I would like to thank the members of SA for the opportunity I had recently to bridge the gap between the membership at large and the Central Office. I was invited to attend the conference held in Anaheim, CA on October 4, 5 and 6 and not only met some of the people I have talked to personally in the past but, during the one-on-one conversations, I was able to learn so much that will help me deal with future inquiries to the Central Office.
The following is a synopsis of minutes taken at the Chicago Convention Business Meeting, July 13, 1991, by David M., and approved by Jean P., who chaired the meeting:
Response to Roy K.’s Letter and Papers to Tri-State NY and June Essay • 24 supporting letters and calls • 3 letters (no calls) against
1. Evidence from individual recovery. Enough time has elapsed now for us to begin to see some history. Take an actual case history: A man comes into SA in the early Eighties and immediately is “hot SA.” Becomes a mover and shaker in his SA area. After a while, he decides to start some serious research in “committed relationships,” and in his eloquence and fervor (and sexaholic need) actually starts putting doubts in the minds of other members about SA sobriety.
There’s a program saying that goes, “The road narrows, but the vistas get more beautiful.” This is true not only in personal recovery but in the life of our fellowship. There have always been tough roads to travel in SA, but they’ve led to new and more sublime vistas. We are at another such juncture in the road today. Some hard choices will be made, but we can, in faith of how we’ve been led from above before, be assured that what lies beyond is not only what we need but leads to greater fulfillment and joy.
I have decided to sever all direct administrative connection with the SA Central Office as of this Chicago 1991 convention. My separation from the Central Office at this time may seem to be sudden, but the Advisory Committee and many others have known for a couple of years that I have been moving toward this action.
