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honeydumplin · 03-07-2015, 06:10 AM

News and Notes from the General Service Office of A.A.
Vol. 61, No. 1/ Spring 2015

The Seventh Tradition Corner

“In 2006, my job took me to Nagoya, Japan for a three month period. At that time, I was 17 years sober, I was alternate chairperson for my area and had a good family life. In my bags, I had my A.A. Literature, and I was confident that I could easily find an A.A. Meeting there. There's only one thing that I forgot: I don't speak Japanese! After a while, even with my literature, my sobriety was jeopardized by not being able to talk to another alcoholic or to find a meeting place. I asked for help from the hotel staff where I was staying, but they spoke very little English. I explained to them that I was looking for an A.A. Meeting. They all asked: 'What is A.A.?' I briefly explained that it is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience with each other and, in doing so, they do not drink. They all answered that they liked to drink with their friends and that A.A was not for them.

“One evening, while attending a baseball game, I felt isolated, alone in the world and, not able to share that with another alcoholic, I ordered a large beer. I was scared; I didn't want to drink. The glass was about six inches from my mouth, and all of a sudden I thought of the friends with whom I served in Montreal and I told myself that I should call them before taking that first drink. I left the ball game, returned to the hotel, and called my delegate back home to tell her about my situation. I told her I couldn't find help and couldn't talk about my situation to anyone who would understand me. She listened to me and told me that she would send an email to the A.A. General Service Office in New York, asking for help.

“What a surprise I had the next morning. I found in my emails the names of 15 English members of Alcoholics Anonymous living in Japan! So I started to look for an alcoholic, as Bill W. had done in Akron, 79 years ago. I did not want to drink and I knew that if I took that first drink, I was done!

“After six unsuccessful calls (it is funny: the Seventh call and the Seventh Tradition!), I succeeded in speaking to an alcoholic. In fact, 'speaking' is a big word: Rather, I started crying, because hearing his voice gave me a sense of security that I had lost. One alcoholic, talking to another!

“With the help of this fellow A.A member, I finally found a meeting. There was a literature display and coffee at that meeting, just like at home. I spoke with several alcoholics twice a week and came back to Canada with my sobriety. Without the Seventh Tradition, God knows what would have happened to me.”

Amour et Service,
Richard B., Quebec

03-07-2015, 06:10 AM	#5
honeydumplin Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2013 Posts: 115	7th Tradition story News and Notes from the General Service Office of A.A. Vol. 61, No. 1/ Spring 2015 The Seventh Tradition Corner “In 2006, my job took me to Nagoya, Japan for a three month period. At that time, I was 17 years sober, I was alternate chairperson for my area and had a good family life. In my bags, I had my A.A. Literature, and I was confident that I could easily find an A.A. Meeting there. There's only one thing that I forgot: I don't speak Japanese! After a while, even with my literature, my sobriety was jeopardized by not being able to talk to another alcoholic or to find a meeting place. I asked for help from the hotel staff where I was staying, but they spoke very little English. I explained to them that I was looking for an A.A. Meeting. They all asked: 'What is A.A.?' I briefly explained that it is a fellowship of men and women who share their experience with each other and, in doing so, they do not drink. They all answered that they liked to drink with their friends and that A.A was not for them. “One evening, while attending a baseball game, I felt isolated, alone in the world and, not able to share that with another alcoholic, I ordered a large beer. I was scared; I didn't want to drink. The glass was about six inches from my mouth, and all of a sudden I thought of the friends with whom I served in Montreal and I told myself that I should call them before taking that first drink. I left the ball game, returned to the hotel, and called my delegate back home to tell her about my situation. I told her I couldn't find help and couldn't talk about my situation to anyone who would understand me. She listened to me and told me that she would send an email to the A.A. General Service Office in New York, asking for help. “What a surprise I had the next morning. I found in my emails the names of 15 English members of Alcoholics Anonymous living in Japan! So I started to look for an alcoholic, as Bill W. had done in Akron, 79 years ago. I did not want to drink and I knew that if I took that first drink, I was done! “After six unsuccessful calls (it is funny: the Seventh call and the Seventh Tradition!), I succeeded in speaking to an alcoholic. In fact, 'speaking' is a big word: Rather, I started crying, because hearing his voice gave me a sense of security that I had lost. One alcoholic, talking to another! “With the help of this fellow A.A member, I finally found a meeting. There was a literature display and coffee at that meeting, just like at home. I spoke with several alcoholics twice a week and came back to Canada with my sobriety. Without the Seventh Tradition, God knows what would have happened to me.” Amour et Service, Richard B., Quebec