West Texas pastor returns safely from Ukraine

ODESSA, Texas (KOSA) - In late June, CBS7 profiled local pastor Jesse Gore, who was planning a month-long trip to Ukraine to teach English and do mission work.

Recently, he returned home safely.

“Ukraine is a calling for me,” Gore said.

In Ukraine, he taught English and performed mission work.

He’s traveled to Ukraine nearly 20 times, but this trip was much different.

“You must fly into Warsaw and drive across the border,” Gore said. “Which is an experience in itself.”

Gore’s destinations were Lviv and Chernivtsi in the western half of the country, where he encountered students more willing to learn than ever and asking questions far more profound than language can go.

The western cities have seen less fighting than the eastern half. Even so, Gore said some of the classes had to be held in a bomb shelter.

He also had to cut his month-long trip short after a website hack gave away the names and locations of students.

“I found myself extremely upset that we couldn’t do that last event,” Gore said.

And the early trip home left an aching feeling that his work isn’t complete.

“When I cross the border on the bus coming home back into Poland from Ukraine, there was a great sense of loss,” Gore said.

And war or no war, danger or peril, Gore is determined to continue his calling and counting the days until he returns.

“I believe that this is what I will be doing for the rest of my life,” Gore added.

Copyright 2022 KOSA. All rights reserved.