Virtual Service

I am a compulsive overeater from Brazil, and I have so much gratitude for virtual meetings. I am alive because one night in 2010 someone wrote me that I could find online meetings every night here in Brazil.

I weighed 253 pounds (115 kg) and had health problems with my lungs. All I wanted to do was sleep and eat. The food was killing me. I began giving service in these online meetings two months after my first meeting, and it was the best thing I could do for myself. Sometimes I didn’t want to keep coming back, but I had an appointment with the virtual meeting. Sometimes I was unhappy, and then a meeting changed my day. I kept coming back because I was giving service, and I continued to give service because I kept coming back. After five years, I keep coming back, and I have continuous abstinence and physical recovery. I’ve lost 98 pounds (44 kg).

This year, I went to my second World Service Business Conference. I love giving service to OA at this level. To give this service, I began to study English again before I went to the USA. My national service board, JUNCCAB–BRAZIL, decided that my Conference service would be on the Bylaws Committee.

Once again my road in recovery crossed paths with virtual OA, and God gave me the opportunity to thank virtual OA for helping me come alive in those online meetings. On Sunday nights, the Bylaws Committee had phone conference calls to discuss what we could do to help virtual OA. In the beginning, I asked my dear friends to speak slowly because I was the only one from Brazil (the others were from the USA). We had wonderful moments together giving this service.

I become happy and smile when I remember how it was a gift to work with these people. Because I want to continue giving service at the world level, I raised my hand to be a delegate again and will go to WSBC 2016. I hope to have more opportunities to continue giving service to virtual OA. Love and happiness.

— Dora, Brazil