When I first joined OA in 1996 we gathered at the “Lemon Squeezer” church in Victory Park, Johannesburg. It smelled of highveld dust and floor polish. At 30, I seemed to be the youngest in the room filled with middle-class white women who looked like my elderly relatives. Just two years into South Africa’s democracy integration wasn’t happening and the …
-Jackie S
I came into the program about 2 years ago. I knew about OA as I had been in another 12 step fellowship for over 40 years. I had been to my doctor for the millionth time, and she asked me “when are you going to stop this overeating cause you are going to die. This is serious! Your cholesterol is …
At the last Virtual Intergroup Meeting (VIG), we went into breakout rooms and played with a team building exercise. We came up with words and phrases of what OA Foot Steps represents for us. We are not a glum lot, and had some fun!! Here are some images from our wonderful Illustrator.
Q: What is your story with Compulsive Eating? A: I have always been a compulsive eater. When I was 1.5 years old, my mom put these sweets, baked by my aunt, in front of me to keep me quiet while she was cutting my hair. Next thing you know, I was drunk as a skunk as these were Rum balls. …
TSW is the Twelfth Steps Within committee. The goals of the committee are to provide services to members that will help keep them from relapse, and also help them if they do come back after relapse. The committee will be doing at least one workshop each quarter. TSW also hosts 15 week Step Studies. We are in the process of organizing two …
I would like to talk on behalf of Traditions One and Two. Beginning in April of 1946, in the Grapevine, Bill Wilson began to expound on what he called “The Twelve Points to Assure our Future’’. These became known as the Twelve Traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous, and eventually, our own adopted Traditions of Overeaters Anonymous. The First Tradition states “Our …
This newsletter will always be YOUR newsletter. But it is MOST your newsletter when itscontributions come from you, the members of OA Foot Steps Virtual Intergroup. It doesn’t have to be a long, detailed article (though it certainly can be up to 500 words). Here are some ideas: It can be done anonymously or be credited (last initial only please)Click …
We recover together or not at all. This is the “we” in the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions.OA is not an “I” program. I tried the “I” program. It was all I knew; wasn’t I supposed to apply mywill to problems and overcome them? But my food issues were impervious to my efforts. I wasstuck. And I stayed stuck until …
Or, nature’s version of the “I put my hand in yours” prayer:My friend is a dairy farmer. She helped a cow give birth one day, and although the calf washealthy, the mother was stressed and couldn’t get up. When sunset came and she still wasn’trising, my friend put a blanket over her in the field and hoped for the best. …
