It doesn't matter what accent the doctor has but the words malignant tumor will drain all feeling from your body in any language.  They were able to biopsy about 1/3 of the tumor and were unable to remove the rest due to its proximity near major arteries.  Both the surgeon and oncologist are 99% sure that it is malignant.  The final tests from the pathologists will not be completed for several days, so for now we just sit and try to comfort Payton in the ICU.  It was my night to stay with him and the following are some 2 a.m. notes from a sleepless father.

I can't take my eyes off of him.......................I vividly remember watching his birth 3+ years ago and strutting like a proud peacock around Rolling Plains Hospital in Sweetwater, TX.  It was the second day of 2004 and I had been blessed for the 4th time and for the 4th time it was a son.  My wife deserved a trophy or at least a medal, but there were none available in the hospital.  This was one of the happiest days of my life and an event I will never forget.

We are back in the hospital; no longer in Sweetwater or Texas or even on the same continent as before.  The occassion here is void of excitement.  I sit in a Prague ICU ward with Payton and a 1 year old girl named Nela.  She is a beautiful little girl who is the apple of her daddy's eye.  Nela is having a tough night and is in great pain.  It is pouring down rain tonight in Prague and the thunder can sometimes be heard over young Nela's screams of pain.  Payton sleeps about 5 feet from Nela and is completely undisturbed by any of the noise.  (It must be quieter than sleeping with 4 brothers) Payton wakes up about every 15-30 minutes, due to discomfort, and wants a drink and to go home.  I cry everytime he asks that question.  How do you explain to a three year old that you don't really know when he can go home and when the pain in his chest will go away?  I'm not angry, upset or really afraid.  Robin and I both know that we serve a God of modern day miracles, a God that comforts all our numbness, a God that hurts when we hurt and grieves when we grieve.  We serve a God that created perfect love and created Payton.  I hurt, because Payton hurts.

He sleeps so peacefully now with all those cords and monitors attached to his little body.  Nela has settled down and the rain has slowed a bit, but we all know that it a temporary calm.  We will  most likely face weeks or months of Eastern European doctors, nurses and hospitals.  They have all been wonderful and have fallen for the blonde hair, blue-eyed Texan who wears shorts and cowboy boots with no socks.  He asked me the other day why they weren't called "horseboys" since they didn't ride cows.  The mind and spirit of children continue to amaze me.

Well its time for me to read the same 'Dora the Explorer' book that I've read 17 times prior and see if he will get back to sleep.  Pray for Nela and her family as they face many tough situations ahead.  Pray they will see Christ shine in our lives as we continue to cling to the rock that steadies our inmost calm.

• The attached song was recorded by students from international Christian schools all over Europe.  It is a great hymn that provides hope and encouragement in tough times.  The words and song are below:
  
  How Can I Keep from Singing?
  Words and Music by Robert Lowry (1826-99)
  arr. Bradley Ellingboe

My life flows on in endless song above earth's lamentation.
I hear the real, tho' far-off hymn that hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I'm clinging.
Since love is lord of heav'n and earth, how can I keep from singing?

Thru' all the tumult and the strife, I hear the music ringing!
It sounds and echoes in my soul. How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I'm clinging.
Since love is lord of heav'n and earth, how can I keep from singing?

What tho' the tempest 'round me roar, I hear the truth.  It liveth.
What tho' the darkness 'round me close, songs in the night, the night it giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I'm clinging.
Since love is lord of heav'n and earth, how can I keep from singing?

Our kids normally wear a helmet when they ride a bike, they don't play with fire (at least I hope not), and they don't jump on the furniture (most of the time) and they know to look both ways before crossing a street and not to run with scissors.  These, and many others, are all lessons we hope to instill in our children for their own safety.  There is a responsibilty and desire as a parent to protect your children from danger and even possible danger.  As a father, it is our 'knight's duty' to protect our family and provide for its needs.  We relish this opportunity and look forward in passing the medieval code to our own sons.  But then comes a situation that knocks you off your horse and leaves you terrified and vulnerable. 

"We believe that your 3 year-old son has a tumor in his left chest."  The scariest words I have ever heard.  The horse has lost its status, the shield and sword have lost their luster and I am no longer able to protect my family from every dangerous situation.  It is from this point, not of a knight, but of an everyday commoner that I have seen the community of Christ like never before.  Our heavenly father has used many of you, and people that we have never met from all parts of the world to comfort and encourage us in a time that can leave you reeling.

Payton is our blonde son with long eyelashes and a large crooked smile that drives the girls crazy.  He admires his older brothers and like them, wants to grow up and be Luke Skywalker, a futuristic knight that prevails over evil.  He wants a light saber for Christmas, which for him is always tomorrow.  He loves packages of Skittles from Grandma, hugs from momma and likes to wrestle with dad, complete with sound effects.  He is more dear to me than any possession on earth and my heart cries in pain for his suffering.  Of course, I would gladly switch places with him in an instant and take the suffering from his little precious body.  My every thought today is about him as they prepare to surgically remove this tumor tomorrow (Monday, May 28th) in Prague.

Please remember Payton and his mother today in your prayers.  Take an extra moment today and give each of your kids a big hug and some Skittles would be nice too.

tc

Sorry that it has been so long since our last post, but much has changed.  We moved out of the house in Zelenec at the end of March.  We then moved into another temporary flat (very small, pictures on website) until we could move into our rent house in 2-5 weeks.  We had hoped that the tenants could be out of the house by mid-April, but that was not possible.  So we enjoyed our time of 'coziness' in the flat that was only an 8 minute walk to the school (much better that the 1-1 1/2 hour commute from Zelenec).  We would not be able to move into the rent house until May 1st but we had to be out of the flat by April 28th.  So we packed up our bags and moved in with the pastor, his wife and their 5 children.  An experience that none of us will forget any time soon.  Anyway, May 1st arrived and we had all our possessions transferred to the new house along with a table and some beds that we bought.  We were quite surprised when we arrived that the former tenants were about halfway moved out.  We moved our stuff in as they continued to move stuff out.  As of today, (Friday, May 4th) they have still not finished moving their stuff out and we continue to clean up behind them.  We have beds to sleep in and a table to eat and have truly been blessed by the whole experience.  No, it has not been easy, but the Lord has met all our needs and continues to be faithful to us at every step.  We are excited be in our own house, sleep in our own beds, eat at our own table and break our own dishes.  We haven't been able to say that since August of last year.  Thanks for all your prayers and patience. 

The biggest blessing of all is the news that we will need to keep our stroller and baby bed for an October arrival.  Yes, Robin, Camden, Jared, Easton, Payton, Marek and I will be welcoming a baby SISTER in early October.  We have known for a while about the baby but Dr. Figurova told us last week that she is 99.9% sure that we will be having a girl.  The boys are very excited to have a sister and Payton wants to name her Wonder Woman after the 70s TV show.  (My sister Dana sent Camden some DVDs of Wonder Woman for his birthday and Payton loves the theme song and when she spins around and hopes his new sister can do the same) Dr. Figurova speaks english and Robin really likes her.  Everyone seems to be fine, but Robin is skeptical that it is truly a girl.  Who could blame her?  Can you imagine having 5 older brothers?

Life at CISP is quite good. ( http://www.cisprague.org/ ) We have the privilege of working with a great group of young men and women.  They have a heart of servitude and a commitment to being world changers.  School is dismissed for the summer on June 7th and many of the kids will be heading back to the states as their parents raise support for another time period of service in the Czech Republic.  Remember them in your prayers.  These kids have very little association with American culture and sometimes feel like a 'freak show' traveling from city to city to raise support for their respective ministries.  They get lonely and long to be back with friends who understand what it is like to grow up in a different culture.  I have to admit, I had no idea how tough it can be on the kids, but I have a new appreciation for them and a new commitment to serve them.

We continue to work out the details with the AWANA program to begin next fall.  We are just waiting on paperwork and an opportunity to meet with the Czech AWANA missionaries.  We have some language issues to overcome, but all is progressing well.  We continue to need prayers for the kids, parents, supplies and teachers for a September start date.  If your AWANA program has any extra books, vests, pins, etc. we would appreaciate any and all donations.  We are starting from scratch and have no supplies at this time.  This will be the first english speaking AWANA program in Eastern Europe so all our supplies must come from the states.  Our shipping address is:
                                                               
                                                                CISP
                                                                c/o Terry Chumbley
                                                                Perunova 6
                                                                130 00, Prague 3
                                                                Czech Republic

For the Kingdom..................

The Chumbley 7 (soon to be 8)