As an administrator for the OA Foot Steps WhatsApp group dedicated to connecting newcomers with
sponsors and sponsees, I’ve learned that the very first point of contact matters. Our TSW (Twelve Steps Within) Committee developed a simple process: I ask a few gentle questions, welcome them to the group, and give them space to share whatever they need to.
What I didn’t expect was how deeply some of them would open up to me. Many arrive confused, raw,
frightened, or angry — often at the end of their rope. I’ve had the privilege of speaking with people who
feel right on the edge, and in those moments I do what OA has taught me: I share my experience,
strength, and hope. Somehow, every time, that simple honesty builds a bridge.
I’ve helped many people take their very first step on this path, and each one of them helps me just as
much in return. But there is one newcomer I will never forget.
She was an Arabic woman, alone, frightened, and desperate for connection. She asked if we had
meetings in Arabic. I could feel her fear and isolation through every message. I don’t speak Arabic, but I
know many women in our fellowship who do — one in particular came to mind immediately.
Using Google Translate, she and I communicated back and forth, clumsily but sincerely. I connected
her with the Arabic-speaking member, and the relief she felt was almost tangible. A few days later, she
messaged me to say how grateful she was and how much our support had helped her feel less alone.
Her words warmed my heart more than she could know.
Moments like that remind me why Twelfth Step work matters. Every newcomer is a reminder of where I
came from and why I stay. And every time I reach out to help someone else, I feel my own recovery
deepen.
LJ
©2026 Experience Strength & Hope Newsletter,
All rights reserved. Proudly sponsored by OA Foot Steps VIG #09670.
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The experience, strength, and hope expressed in this article, reflect the individual OA members and does not represent OA as a whole. Other OA groups and service bodies are welcome to reprint articles from Experience, Strength & Hope Newsletter without permission. When reprinting from other OA newsletters, be sure to credit the source.
