EERSTE RIVER / BLUE DOWNS
B u r g e r E-pos: tyger@dieburger.com
Woensdag 8 Februarie 2012
Tel: 021 910 6500
Faks: 021 910 6501
) Shebeen reopens as a church
People can change! CHILTON MELLEM
A shebeen turned church is now no longer a place where searching souls can buy spirits, but rather receive the Holy Spirit. This new church in Nimrod Crescent, Conifers, opened it’s doors last Sunday for the first time, after months of preparation. Local resident Colin Aranes explains how he bought the property as an investment while he was working at the airport. After losing his job five years ago, he tried starting his own business from this house, making fireplaces and braai areas. Aranes says his business failed due to a lack of focus and admits to being a heavy drinker then. “When things did not work out, I turned to alcohol.” Aranes transformed the house into a shebeen. “At the time, my main focus was making money and nothing else. When I lost my job, I was drinking a lot. I lost my family and it felt like I had lost everything.” In an effort to reunite with his family, he rented out the shebeen to a friend. “There’s a lot of money in selling alcohol but I lost my family and at that point, I didn’t care about anything else.” “Life as a shebeen owner is tough.
CHILTON MELLEM
An unknown woman allegedly committed suicide by throwing herself on a railway line in the early hours of yesterday morning. The incident happened 200 metres from the Eerste River Station at 05:20. W/O Annacletta Mothoalo,
I had guns pointed in my face, gangsters attacked me. I was a general for the devil,” Aranes said. At a time when he was at an alltime low, Aranes said he fell to his knees and cried out to the Lord for help. “I gave my life there and then to the Lord. I was still drunk, but God accepts you, no matter what state you are in,” he said with a smile. A suggestion by his younger brother, Hilary, a minister, saw Aranes start his own car rental business. Today he is the CEO of his own business, called Drive Direct. “When I turned my life around, I started approaching people, asking them for forgiveness. People couldn’t believe that someone like me could change.” Today the notorious house on the corner is used as a creche during the week and on Friday nights youth church services are held there. “I would like to give back to the community that I robbed. Alcohol destroys lives and tears families apart. Children are separated from their parents and parents from their families. I have destroyed the lives of families in the area and this is my way of giving back to them,” he said. He also plans to start a soup kitchen and offer counselling as well as life skills training.
Colin Aranes and his wife, Una and David No vember at the new church that opened in Coni fers on Sunday. Photo: Chilton Mellem
Woman in train ‘suicide’ death spokesperson of the Kleinvlei police, said the woman carried two children with her, one a fourweek-old baby and the other a oneyear-old toddler. Mothoalo said the driver of the
train claimed the woman stood in the middle of the railway line, facing the train. “The train is a business express and was on its way to Strand, to pick up Metrorail employees,”
said Lindelo Matya, regional manager at Metrorail. At the time of the incident, it contained Metrorail employees, but no other passengers. The train did not make its desti-
nation after the accident and all trains heading to Strand thereafter were delayed. “This was as a result of police clearing the scene and subsequently, trains only had one line to travel on,” Matya said. He confirmed that the driver of the train and the Metrorail employees on the train have received trauma counselling.
Evangelist Nikos from Greece
will be at our church for a series of Evangelical meetings on 10 February @ 19:45 11 February @ 18:00 12 February @ 10:00 Please note seating is limited . Nikos has been involved with missionary work for many years and he is gifted in speaking 5 languages . Join Pastors Michael and Rochelle @ 114 Bluedowns way , Eersteriver Call or SMS : Carolyn @ 0790544903
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