Friday, October 9, 2009
Membership Survey
As you know, things are movin' and a shakin' at GOAL! In an effort tobetter serve our supporters we have developed a survey.Please take time out to do our, very short survey on how we can a GOALMembership that is most beneficial to you.
Seriously, it will take less than 5 minutes!Here is the link: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=KzcVBIirT_2fhip59bOf6hoA_3d_3d
Thanks,
GOAL Project Staff
Sunday, September 13, 2009
ABOUT GOAL
Who we are...
Mission: GOAL Project is a Global coalition of professionals and volunteers that promotes and supports 12 step recovery from the disease of addiction. GOAL also works toward lessening addiction related problems including HIV/AIDS, domestic violence and human trafficking.
Vision: Establish five to ten global centers for the purpose of training and counseling people affected by addiction and people who work with them.
Important: GOAL is a Christian faith-based non-denominational NGO. GOAL is affiliated with the International Substance Abuse and Addiction Coalition (I.S.A.A.C.), the O.P.O.R.A. Center, and the International Center for Health Concerns (I.C.H.C.). GOAL has worked cooperatively with the South American Missionary Society (SAMS), World Witness, Presbyterian Church USA, The Orthodox Christian Mission Center (OCMC), Samaritan’s Purse, Worldwide Lab Improvement, Blessings International, Prison Fellowship International, The United Nations International Drug Control Programme (UNDCP), The Egyptian Ministry of Health, SARAH Network in Kenya, and the New Partners Initiative of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief through the U.S. Agency for International Development (NPI/PEPFAR/USAID).
Recovery 101
“He is on the road to recovery,” a neuro surgeon might say after a brain operation. When GOAL speaks of recovery from an addiction we mean recovery from the impact of a brain-altering drug such as alcohol, nicotine, heroin, or marijuana on the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual life of a human being. First the affected person’s brain needs to be free of the offending drug. This isn’t done surgically but by a process of abstinence and maintained through regular attendance at recovery support groups. The psych or soul of the person recovers by moving from isolation and blaming others to accepting responsibility for offending behavior while under the influence of the addictive substance. The social life of the affected person recovers by making amends and rebuilding relationships with family members, co-workers and friends.
Recovery support groups not only provide mutual support for abstinence but also a social environment to rebuild relationships. Recovery involves working a 12-step process of admitting one has an addiction disease or is affected by a someone else’s out of control addiction disease, surrendering to a higher power, taking a moral inventory and making amends to those harmed and helping others. The 12-steps form the basis of what is called a spiritual recovery process and evolved in the 1930s from a Christian renewal movement called the Oxford Groups. (See Tree of Renewed Life, by Terry Webb, Ph.D. Crossroad Pub, 1992; “The Religious and Theological Roots of Alcoholics Anonymous”, Rev. Linda Mercadante, Ph.D. The Praeger International Collection on Addictions, I, 95), “The Spirituality of Recovery and the Twelve Steps of Alcoholics Anonymous”, Rev. Robert D. Hughes, III, Ph.D. The Praeger International Collection on Addictions, III, 53). GOAL and its partner organizations have found that the same 12-step recovery process is just as effective for those living with AIDS or those suffering from domestic violence.