I am Married to a lady (Trinh), who's Father has inherited the Sancta Maria Orphanage in Saigon Vietnam from it's Founder ( His Uncle...) Andre`, known as Nguyen Van Vung.

Whilst it is now a Very Large Family Home, it was once one of the biggest Orphanages in Saigon, and has a very interesting history. Although it is not operating as an 'Active' Orphanage persay... ( Not since 1975). We still have 12 or so orphans in their late 40's to early 50's who were never Adopted, and are all Disabled and are still looked after and totally provided for by my wife's family ! Without, any Government Assistance.

My personal interest in this Orphange started out in 1997, when I married my Wife and lived there for 2 years. Some 3-4 years later, when our son was one year old, late 2003, we moved back to Vietnam, and again stayed for another 2 years.

It was during these 4 years that I met a lot of Sancta Maria Adoptees who had come back to Vietnam for their first time to see where they came from, and to see Vietnam and experience it's Culture. We made many 'Friendships' from these meetings and it was during these meetings that a few of us decided to have a 'Reunion' of as many of the Orphans/ Adoptees as I could find ! So for the next 2 years I was fully engrossed in setting about just this, and it all came to fruition on Feb 4th 2005.

It was most successful, and everyone who came, from as far as the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.K. brought their Families and Parents and it was a most memorable time for everyone ! Very emotional too, meeting the carers who brought the orphans back to Australia, and vice versa for the carers, who never knew whether they had lived or like so many, who had died ?

Now we are planning for the next one, which ( All going well .....) will be in December 2010, and may be back in Vietnam ? or Possibly on the Gold Coast ? We'll See .......