Gospel group, Arise Choir uses voice to fight drug abuse

Millicent Andile Dube, Showbiz Reporter

Gospel group, Arise Choir will be at the School of Mines on Friday as they continue with their quest of raising drug awareness by using their voice to lure the addicts closer to the Lord.

Following the Zimbabwe Republic Police national campaign to clean drugs from communities, the choir stage a concert at the Selbourne Park Christian Church last month under the theme “Answer the Call”.

Ever since then, they have embarked on a journey using their melodic voices as a tool to engage with the youth and convince them to shy away from the usage of drugs.

Melisa Sibanda who is the choir director said: “Our response to this invitation to the School of Mines is in line with the vision to be able to tour colleges, schools, and any youth group platforms around the country to share the message of Jesus that can bring change.

“After holding a successful youth concert, our journey continues as we plan on once again raising up our voices and exclaiming the power of Jesus to effect change in the lives of the young adults.”

The 35-member choir whose age range is 14 to 31 was formed in 2018. The strategy was to use the youthful members to engage with their peers as they easily relate to each other. Since its formation, the choir has been using ministry and song to touch the hearts of the lost ones, bringing them to light.

“Our main objective is for the people to feel the heart of the Lord through our singing. We’d like someone not to walk out of the concert and say that was great music, but to actually feel the love of God afterward,” said Sibanda.

Including the youth in such programmes has helped them to become responsible citizens as they have been constantly working with professional drug awareness speakers.