Rotyam Castro comes from a dysfunctional family in Havana, but even there he received advice to make a difference and break with bad generational patterns.

At 18 years old, the change was radical. While he was doing his mandatory military service and in the midst of a very strong period of depression, another young Christian spoke to him about the gospel.

Sixteen years after that moment, he has used what he knows of pain, hopelessness, and family conflicts to help others get away from the drug that truncates the lives of young Cubans and spreads like a dark tide in the country: El Químico.

As a youth pastor of the Monte Horeb Church, of the Assemblies of God denomination in Cuba, he has transformed his YouTube channel into a permanent warning of the risks of the new narcotic.

The work is dangerous, especially now that independent investigations connect Alejandro Castro Espin, Raul Castro’s son, with drug traffickers in the island.

Beyond the communication work, he has accompanied dozens of his contemporaries in Havana in a process of physical and also spiritual restoration. The detoxification occurs through the resources of the evangelical denomination to which he belongs, but he knows that other brothers of faith are also contributing to the battle that, he believes, is born from the economic and social conditions in Cuba and, also, from the degradation of the family that weakens the nation.

Here is my interview with Rotyam.

What situation are you seeing in Cuba regarding the expansion of the drug known as El Químico?

In Cuba, the drug El Químico has really gone out of control in the social area and in terms of control by the government itself.

Being a synthetic drug, its sanitary control by Customs is very difficult. On the other hand, having a very low cost of between 150 and 200 Cuban pesos per cigarette facilitates access by all sectors of society.

The age of consumption of this narcotic is concentrated mainly among young people from 13 years old, up to people of 50 years old. I have known of cases of 11-year-old children and of adults over 50 consuming, although it has not been common.

In general, Cuban families who have an addict feel very worried and alarmed. Since El Químico is a highly addictive drug, in a short time they have seen how the life of their family member deteriorates physically and morally.

I believe, in my opinion, that it has become a social epidemic. It is present in all the neighborhoods of Havana without exception in any municipality, and I have already heard of its presence in several provinces.

What work is the church doing as a dynamic force of civil society to alleviate this scourge?

Not all churches in Cuba have developed a methodology to treat individuals with addictions.

An addict cannot only be treated from a spiritual point of view, something that the church is ready for, but they must be helped to unlearn addictive behaviors. That is where our weakness lies.

Some denominations such as the Assemblies of God and the Apostolic Church have opened Addiction Restoration Centers, but it is not enough. There is too much demand. In the case of the Assemblies of God, there are three centers, located in Havana and Holguín.

How many people have been served so far this year by your ministry?

We have been able to admit approximately 26 young people to the Center. Since the Center’s capacity is limited, we have chosen to make 12 admissions to homes with methodological support for addicts and their families.

Why have you decided to talk about this issue on your social networks?

Above all, I have done so through my YouTube channel Rotyam Castro (A Voice in the Desert). The idea is to carry out prophylactic work, directed at young people and their families regarding the dangers of consuming this drug.

Through the channel we have presented testimonies of young people who have been able to overcome addiction with the help of Christian centers.

What do you think are the main factors that lead Cubans to choose the path of drugs, in the current circumstances of the country?

In my opinion, the economic situation of the country, then the degradation of the culture that surrounds the youth has led them to approve everything that is bad, immoral, and harmful.

On the other hand, there is, as I explained, the low cost of drugs. They are three times cheaper than a pound of sugar or rice.

Could the Cuban church do more in the area of public health?

I really believe that the Cuban church could do a beautiful job with respect to this health issue. Within the congregations we have doctors, nurses, psychologists, sociologists, psychiatrists, etc.

Some congregations have begun to train themselves on these issues. We would like there to be more.

On the other hand, Christian centers have shown that their patients have been rehabilitated without the need to use drugs or anxiolytics. In addition, when the patient is rehabilitated in these institutions, he not only leaves without consuming drugs, but they also learn ethical and moral principles that help them in their social reintegration.

For decades, the church has been a pillar of support for communities in the face of social crises, showing the love of Jesus for humanity. In these times, God will also move the hearts of Christians in Cuba even more in the face of this great challenge of rehabilitating the thousands of young people and adults who are currently tied to consumption.

I believe in the words of the Jew Mordecai to his niece, Queen Esther: “Who knows if God has been preparing you for this hour and for this time.”