Marvin Lane, president of Generation Hope International and cofounder of Village of Hope, is undertaking extraordinary efforts to rescue Ukrainian orphan children as Russia’s invasion continues. According to WFLA, he has been rescuing and taking care of orphaned children in Romania for three decades, and is now seeking to greatly expand efforts to include Ukrainian refugee orphans. With his organization, which houses orphans in family-style homes, equipped to welcome 20 Ukrainian children, Lane has requested that 94 children be welcomed into his facilities, which is a challenge that he is determined to meet.
According to WFLA, “The Village of Hope [located in Romania] is made up of five family-style homes for the children. Each home has six bedrooms, a kitchen, living room, dining room and laundry facilities. There is also a guest house on the property.” They were housing 28 children until recently when Lane opened their facilities to welcome Ukrainian refugees. Residing in Palmetto, Florida, Lane has made his way to Romania where he will stay for just over a week to help with logistics at Village of Hope.
WFLA reports that the journey across the border between Ukraine and Romania proved challenging as vans ran out of gasoline forcing refugees to walk to the border for three days in frigid temperatures, snow, and no facilities. Rescuing Ukrainian children from as young as 6 months old to seventeen years old, Lane’s organization is preparing to make a permanent residence for them within his facilities if they are unable to return to Ukraine.
Marvin’s son, Jason Lane, who is the pastor at Skyway Community Church in Palmetto, Florida shared that his congregation has already raised thousands of dollars supporting the efforts overseas, but they are hoping for more help. They are fundraising for food, medical care, clothing, and to expand facilities to meet the needs of the Ukrainian refugees who will be welcomed by Village of Hope. Lane explained that “if someone wants to sponsor or feed a child, it is $2 a day and that is three good meals for the children. It is $60 a month to be able to feed one child. Everything that is given through donations whether it be one time or monthly, 100% will go to the children to care for them.”
Jason Lane admires the work of his parents who have made a commitment to helping the Ukrainian orphan children as their homeland is under attack. He shared that “to see your parents just say, we are willing to not worry about our tomorrow so that we can take care of children today. There’s nothing better as a son because it just sets a legacy for you to follow.”