Hopolang Mokhopi
IT was a night of glitz and glamour when the women’s movement, The Black Diamond, marked its fourth anniversary at an event held at ‘Manthabiseng Convention Centre on Saturday.
The event also served to reflect on the milestones which this women empowerment seminar has achieved.
The edition was held under the theme: Turn your wounds into wisdom.
The Black Diamond seeks to empower and create a networking platform with women involved in mental health, physical health and also in financial health.
The attendees were dressed to kill, showcasing different designs of their evening gowns.
The guest of honour was South African actress, Sophie Ndaba, who became popular through her role as Queen Moroka on the SABC prime time soapie, Generations.
In recent years, Sophie’s health took a knock from her longtime diabetes illness. She lost so much weight to a point that there were rumours she had died.
However, Sophie’s health improved late last year, with her emerging as a motivational speaker.
And on Saturday, she encouraged women to stay focused and believe in the power of prayer.
“I feel like every woman who is here today is going to walk home as a new woman,” Sophie said.
“We often have this get together but the real issue is whether you walk away the same. I am here today to discuss how to turn our wounds into wisdom. They say one cannot understand the power or purpose of prayer because they have never gone through pain,” she said.
“We have to turn our struggles into testimonies. We cannot succumb to challenges; we need to fight.”
A local human rights lawyer, Advocate Lineo Badia Tsikoane also shared her story.
She narrated how her family was hit by Covid-19 in 2020 which her husband succumbed to. However, she said the pain made her stronger.
“1 Peter chapter 5 verse 10 says, after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you,” she said.
“I had a handsome guy with whom I had a beautiful family, and then this man died. I was unconscious in the intensive care unit (ICU) when he died, while our children were alone. I was alone, and people with whom I was sharing the ICU room with, died. I learnt about my husband’s passing from the nurses. In those times. I kept asking God why people had to die that brutally?”
She added: “The truthfulness of God’s love is not that we will not suffer or be in pain. It’s the assurance that he will be there when we do.”
Speaking at the same event, psychologist Lineo Chabeli from Sober Minds, urged women to be selective regarding things they allow into their lives.
