South African Hope Tour delivers message during Women's Month | Rosalind Tompkins

As I prepare for my next trip to South Africa in August for another hope tour I am excited to be going back. The last time that I and four others including my husband, Kwame, went to South Africa for a hope tour was in 2016.

This trip will make a total of four times since 2013. I and another Hopeologist, Dr. Rebecca Judd, will travel to Durban, Richards Bay, and Johannesburg during South Africa’s Women’s Month. I will speak to thousands at Women’s Conferences during the tour.

I interviewed our host, Dr. Jonathan Annipen, a delightful young man who is a local Council Member in Durban, on my latest Think Hope Podcast. During our hope chat he stated that South Africa is really in need of hope. People are going through tough times and are feeling the aftereffects of COVID-19, a failing economy, political upheaval, and many social ills that have resulted in an increase in violence.

In the midst of all of this there is still hope for the great nation of South Africa who caught the world’s attention during apartheid and the anti-apartheid movement led by the late Nelson Mandela.

His legacy continues and on behalf of Mothers In Crisis, we will be honoring 96-year-old Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP with an International HOPEE (Helping Others Practice Enduring Empowerment) Award for his auspicious lifetime career and anti-apartheid work with Nelson Mandela.

Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP was born into the Zulu Royal family as the son of Princess Magogo kaDinuzulu, King Solomon’s sister, and Inkosi Mathole Buthelezi, the King’s Prime Minister.

We are honored to present the HOPEE award to Prince Mangosuthu Buthelezi MP who serves as a member of Parliament, as the traditional Prime Minister to the Zulu Monarch and Nation, and as the President Emeritus of the IFP (Inkatha Freedom Party). But first and foremost, he considers himself a servant of the people.

Prince Buthelezi is a believer in Christ and a champion of freedom for all people. Together with his late wife, Princess Irene Thandekile Buthelezi, he had eight children, five of whom are sadly deceased.

To hear my hope chat with Dr. Jonathan Annipen please listen to “Think Hope Podcast” at blogtalkradio.com/thinkhope, Apple Podcast, Audible, and Amazon Radio.

Rosalind Y. Tompkins received a doctorate of humanities degree from the Five Fold Ministry Theological University in 2012. Find out more at makeahopeconnection.com.

This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: South African Hope Tour delivers message during Women's Month