James and Jenny Arnott, with baby Kirsten, are new faces at Karobran New Life Centre, offering spiritual guidance and life lessons to students.
LIFE in recent years has been a long ride for James and Jenny Arnott.
Arriving three months ago at Karobran New Life Centre near Wrattonbully from Kenton-on-sea, South Africa, they are committed to helping with the rehabilitation of people with drug and alcohol problems.
"I've been involved in ministry now for over 10 years," James said.
The couple had been pastoring a church in Kenton for the past eight years.
They were looking to leave their church and were introduced to Karobran by travelling minister Glenda Kahlenberg - a pastor at the centre who has known the Arnotts for quite some time.
"We were asking about here and she said we've got a vacancy - come on over," James said.
Karobran managing directors Dean and Jenene Childs went to South Africa to meet the pair.
"We just felt immediately that they were the right people," Jenene said.
While at Karobran the Arnotts will help "teach, preach and counsel" the students at the centre.
Unintentionally helping them is their baby daughter Kirsten, who has had a wonderful effect on some of the older students.
Some of these students have had their own children taken away from them and being around a young child has been therapeutic.
"She's made an amazing difference to the older people," Dean said.
Drug and alcohol addiction is not a foreign concept to the Arnotts with Jenny overcoming her own personal demons.
"Jen's story is a lot more interesting than mine," James said.
"She's come through addiction to heroin and cocaine and been through many rehabs."
She moved to Kenton to change her life and was six months clean when she met James.
"We married one year clean and we haven't looked back," James said.
The couple have now been married six years and James was glowing in appraising his wife's passion for helping people who have had similar problems to her.
"She's got a passion for people trapped in bondage to addiction and setting them free," he said.
"I would never have gone into rehab work but Jen channelled me in that direction."
Now in Australia, the first difference they noticed was the lack of crime compared to South Africa.
In the week the Childs' spent with them in their country there was a murder, an assault, an armed robbery and a burglary in their small town of around 1500.
"It's a wonderful feeling of release to come to a place where crime is so much less of an issue," James said.
"(But) the challenges with drug addiction are very similar here (to South Africa)."
Karobran is a residential drug and alcohol rehabilitation has been running for the past 25 years and has helped over 3000 people from all over Australia overcome their issues.
There are currently 16 students involved in the program, based around three pillars: Christ, classes and counselling, as well as a work program.
The work program involves farm work, vineyard tending, vegetable planting and other labouring jobs.
The centre is faith-based through the Australian Christian Churches and receives no government funding.
Assistance can be given by sponsoring a student, supporting special projects of the centre of becoming a friend of the centre.
Donations can be made by direct deposit to New Life Centre Karobran, BSB 065-506, account number 10008874 through the Commonwealth Bank.
Cheques may also be made payable to New Life Centre Karobran, PO Box 720, Naracoorte.
