Online Reporter
Maria Chiguvari
Zimpapers Arts and Entertainment Hub
AUTHOR and pastor Gifty Gate has revealed that his personal battle with drugs, during his university years, inspired him to write a book aimed at helping Zimbabwe confront the growing crisis of substance abuse.
In his third year at university, Gate said he was into drugs.
Titled “Turning the Tide,” Gate said the process of writing the book took him about ten months.
The experiences captured in the book span more than five years of his life working with young people and families affected by drug abuse.
In an interview, Gate said overcoming that phase of his life strengthened his desire to help others break free from addiction.
“There was a time in my third year when I was in varsity that I was also hooked in drugs and substance abuse.
“You know, those who were my classmates testified about that at the time.
“I was a church boy but it was not all about the church, I was also hooked.”
The pastor, who has served as a teacher and chaplain before entering full-time ministry, said his exposure to drug abuse, among school going children, opened his eyes to the gravity of the problem.
Gate said during his time as a teacher he witnessed disturbing cases where learners brought dangerous items and drugs to school.
“The experience that I’ve written in this book, a period of five years, remember I’ve been a chaplain, I’ve been a teacher and now I’m serving as a pastor now.
“When I was serving as a teacher, one of the things that I saw at the schools, I can’t mention,” he said.
Gate said that searches sometimes uncovered substances such as marijuana and even drug-infused snacks like “space cakes” and ganja biscuits hidden in lunch boxes.
“Turning the Tide” was written not only as a personal testimony but also as a practical guide that communities can use to address the drug crisis.
“It’s something that can help us as a guiding manual, as a temple to rehabilitate our societies, to rehabilitate our children, to rehabilitate our people.
“There’s no tool, there’s no equipment that you can use. So this becomes a community property. Just complementing government efforts. This is just complementing the efforts from the ZRP.”
