13217: Ray Re:adoption information sought (fwd)

[Bob Corbett <corbetre@webster.edu>]

From: Matt Ray <mray@novell.com>

Hi Matt,

I am not very good at tooting my own horn.  Always makes me a bit
uneasy.
But I have found that  sometimes I have to if I want to get anywhere.
So
okay. You asked for a litte writeup on me.

Eleven years ago my wife and I, after thinking about it for decades,
decided
to establish our own adoption service.  The name of it is:

West Sands Adoptions
461 East 2780 North
Provo, Utah 84604

Tel:  801-377-4379

Since then we have been quietly going about the business of finding
families
interested in adopting orphans from foreign countries and making it
happen.
We do this without any  financial payment to us (but we get a ton of
joy
which is even better). We operate out of a small office in our home
which we
dedicate to the agency.  We are fully licensed and regulated by the
State of
Utah.  And while we do not advertise nor will you find our name in the
phone
book, we have assisted in the adoptive placement of well over 100
children.

Almost five years  go an "occupational hazard" of this business
occurred.
My wife and I became infected with "adoption influenza."  After having
raised five biolgical children who had long since departed to the four
winds, we adopted all at one time six orphan children, five "black" and
one
"brown."  Next to marrying my wife (now of 41 years), that was the
smartest
thing I have ever done.  In 2000 the BYU Alumni Association presented
to us
the distinguished "Service to Family" award for our work in adoptions.

Over the last 18 months we have become very focused on Haiti.  Last
year we
were involved in the adoptive placement of 15 children from there and
thus
far this year we have 25 children designated to go into adoptive homes
in
America.  We have aligned ourselves with a specific orphanage in Haiti,
the
"Foyer de Sion" (House of Zion) operated by a Bishop  in Petionville
which
is next to Port au Prince.  We are currently engaged in building a new
building for him as he, his wife, mother-in-law, three biological
children,
and 28 orphans all live in their tin roof 800 square foot house void
of
normal sanitation and a yard not much bigger than the house.  Some land
in
Haiti was donated to us for the new orphanage during my previous trip
in
October of 2001.  A week ago I returned from  another trip to Haiti
where we
started groundbreaking.  We have a ton of work.  But we are moving forward.
Though at times I
get
overwhelmed and a bit frustrated, not since my LDS Mission (Southern
Gremany) have I felt so much like I was in the Palm of the Hand of God.
 So
succeed we will.