FOR SUCH A TIME AS THIS
Darci and Julia Touhy, an incredibly brave mother and daughter duo, met Expansion International through a painful set of circumstances. After young Julia experienced terrible medical trauma by breaking her femur, mamma Darci took Julia to Boise’s pediatric orthopedic surgeon, Dr. Buzz Showalter, who walked with them through many surgeries and rehabilitation into healing.
Darci shares how this unfortunate circumstance opened the door for her and her daughter to go to Kenya, “When we first consulted with Dr. Showalter he’d just returned from Kenya. He told us about the medical outreach and Julia was immediately hooked! At a future visit, she asked about Kenya again. ‘Get better and I'll take you,’ he said.”
Julia held onto that hope for over a year as she underwent several surgeries and a rough recovery period. God performed an absolute miracle and healed Julia's leg just in time for Expansion’s next medical outreach to Kenya in 2019.
Thirteen-year-old Julia shined while serving in children’s ministry, triage, and in the prayer room while Darci was able to use her nursing skills. Four years prior, Darci took time off from nursing to care for her family, but that passion re-awoke during her time in Kenya.
While the entire trip was a blessing, there was one particular moment when Darci and Julia knew God had a specific purpose for them.“One afternoon Dr. Buzz told me to quickly gather supplies. He had a 3-year-old little girl that had the same type of femur fracture in the very same leg that Julia had. Immediately, this became intense and extremely personal.” “I told Julia to stay near and keep praying as she watched with tearful eyes. This little baby's experience was so different from my baby's. My baby had the luxury of pain meds, x-rays, and surgery. Thankfully, because the medical team was there, this baby got some Tylenol for pain, and a splint constructed out of cardboard fixed in place with an ace wrap.” One can only wonder what it may have been like for this baby if the team had not been there.
“I held that sweet baby girl down as I had done with my baby as Dr. Buzz aligned her broken leg. As the baby sobbed and screamed, I tried to soothe her, stroking her cheek, talking to her, and praying to Jesus." As soon as Dr. Buzz was done, she quickly calmed down and even laid peacefully. She grasped my hand with hers and gave me a scared but calm look.”
Following this procedure, and knowing that God was fully in this, Darci and Julia encouraged the baby’s parents by telling them about their experience. Here was Julia, living proof of the hope set before them. “Look at my daughter walking so beautifully. Yours will too. They have the same doctor, and the same Father!” Darci knew God had brought her and Julia all the way to Subukia, Kenya, for this very moment. “The Spirit suddenly spoke the verse from Esther to me, ‘For such a time as this I have brought you here.’