In a move to encourage women to stay strong and remain influential in today's society, the Christian Women Ministry (CWM) convened at the Dutch Reformed Church in Tshikota on Sunday (26 August). This was done as a way of celebrating the closure of Women's Month.

Led by the influential speaker and organisation's president, Mrs Christinah Sinthumule, women from across the Vhembe area sang hymns and prayed. The message of the day was given under the theme Walking into newness. Mrs Sinthumule admonished those present that they should always distance themselves from the sin of breaking up other people's relationships.

She said that, when a woman cries that her marriage is growing sour, it is frequently because of another woman. “Some women are creatures who excel at hurting other women,” she spoke. “We need to walk into the newness of God, where evil thoughts of hurting others will be a thing of the past.”

Sinthumule indicated that pastors hardly preached about what she had just told the people, for fear of losing female worshippers in the church. “We must stop running a paint brush over sins,” she continued. “Never call sin a 'weakness'.”

Women were further encouraged to work hard in order for them to achieve their dreams. They were also advised to make their voices heard in society.  “In biblical times, women were faceless and voiceless,” she said. “They couldn't do anything on their own, because they had no freedom to do so. They had to ask a man for everything which needed to be done. I am not saying that women should antagonize their husbands; far be that spirit from us.”

She placed more emphasis on the point that a woman should not wait for a man to come into her life before she could do good things to enrich her life.