About Billy Ray

Meet Middle East Director, Billy Ray. The Rays have served with World Orphans since 2007. Before joining our team, Billy worked in Turkey for seven years helping with church planting efforts. In Iraq, the Rays developed The Refuge, a community center project complete with a school, soccer field, vocational training center, and medical clinic, along with 75 homes for Syrian refugees in Kurdistan.

It is with the Kurds that the Rays have stood in the face of the threat of ISIS. They are now caring for hundreds of refugees that fled fighting in Syria.

After living in Iraqi-Kurdistan for the past twelve years, the Rays have handed over the ministry to locals and moved back to the United States, where Billy continues to serve as the Senior Director over the Middle East.

With World Orphans, Billy has traveled to Egypt, Israel, Kenya, Turkey, and Uganda. In his free time, he enjoys photography, playing tennis, reading (history, biographies, and classic literature), playing soccer, DIY around the house, and hiking. He currently resides in Dallas, Texas with his wife, Dawn, and their three sons.