Nosimilo: an Obedient Servant

Hey Friends & Family!

Eswatini has been a land filled with so much joy! The spirit of the Lord has been poured out over the land and the region sings His praises! The Swazi people are loving, kind, and they dance before the Lord with all their might!

While serving by counting pills in the clinic and playing with children at the care points, I have seen the goodness of the Lord, the consistency of His love, and the power of prayer. As just a volunteer and not a medical professional, I cannot do anything to care for the sick, but I can pray with authority. As missionary who is only in the child’s life for a few short weeks, I cannot provide for all their needs, but I can approach the throne with boldness to ask the

King to provide for the little ones. I have learned to use the time it takes for the nurse to explain the

medications to her patient to pray for healing; to utilize the naps that babies take on my chest as opportunity to pray over their futures and their families. I know my God is good I know He will reap the harvest of all the seeds I have planted with faith.

Also in Eswatini, I have also learned to step deeper into who God has called me to be. During the New Orleans mission trip I attended this past July, I had the phrase “obedient servant” prophesied over me. I knew I was being obedient by saying yes to the World Race, but I had no idea how much obedience and submission to the Lord this season would require. I felt weighed down by my disobediences before I started the race and the enemy used that to tell me “You don’t belong here.”

I wrestled with God and came to the overwhelming conclusion that God’s grace was enough. Despite my shortcomings he still called me obedient servant and he knew what struggles I would face and he still called me to obedience. Since then, I have been walking in fuller obedience and I constantly ask the Holy Spirit to convict me. So many blessings have come out of it like partnering with God to see miracles and receiving my Swazi name.

Occasionally when you get to know someone from Eswatini they will give you a Swazi name and a couple weeks ago the nurses at the clinic I have been volunteering at gave me my name.

They have named me “Nosimilo.” Names here and in other cultures have meaning and I believe when your name means something you are speaking truth over yourself. It’s been my joy to be called Nosimilo which means  obedient or woman of high character.

As I am finishing out ministry this week and looking towards PVT (Parent Vision Trip), I just ask that you pray for our parents to arrive here safe! Please be praying for our remaining weeks in Swazi, for safe travel, and for us to be equipped for our final country, Indonesia!

Thank you SO much for following along on my journey!

Grace & Peace,

Maggie Claire Richardson

P.S. Please, enjoy some of my writing!

“The red hard clay cracks under an unrelenting sun yet the hills of rolling green still cry “blessed is the Lord our God who was and is and is to come!” The acacia trees sing of the Lords intentionality as their sprawling branches create a perfect canopy of relief from the heat. The strong winds blow heavy clouds that pour rain that answers prayers. The tempests command awe and wonder for the Lord Almighty with their flashes of lightning and their roars of thunder that shake the earth. The tender touch of a child as she gently tucks the stray hair behind your ears paints a picture of the deep familiarity and intimacy the sacrifice of Jesus granted to me. The laughter and prayers of young people burdened with the Gospel creates symphony unto the King who is worthy of all glory, all honor, and all praise.

Hallelujah! The place where my feet are planted is holy ground!“