For most of you parents the image above either brings a smile to your face or a knot in your stomach.  I probably fall into the first category.  I enjoy the flashing lights, the cup of tokens and seeing the smiles on all the kids faces.  (Now the pizza is another subject.)  But there is one game at Chuck E. Cheese that emits an aura of black haze.  It's called the 'Whack-a-Mole' or 'Smack-a-Gopher' or something like that.  You know what I'm talking about.  You grab this mallet and try to crush the varmint that dares stick his head above ground.  No matter how fast you are or how hard you grip the mallet the pesky things always disappear before you get a good crushing blow to the cranium.  You finish the game sweaty, frustrated and with few tickets.  It's a game you seldom play more than once and will avoid at all costs most of the time.

We flew into DFW last Friday and our luggage flew into DFW over the next several days, but it all arrived.  We took a couple of days to make the necessary adjustments and we are starting to get settled.  I think you intially go through a period of denial when your child is diagnosed with cancer and eventually transform into a period of ready to fight this disease.  Just when you have yourself all prepped and ready to do all that is necessary, a new villain makes an appearance.  We were told by the doctors in Prague that there were no signs of cancer cells in the body other than the tumor on his 1st rib.  Apparently, they sent the bone marrow off for tests that take several weeks to complete.  The results were emailed to us two days ago.  "We found tumor cells in right site of bone marrow."  History tells the doctors that chances of curing Ewing's Sarcoma at a single site is very high, but with the cancer cells being in the marrow our percentages were cut-in half.  All of my worry and sadness swell the tighter I grip the mallet and my frustration and helplessness boil over as I am unable to stop the continous flow of unwanted pests in Payton's life.  Some days it is very easy for me to hand the mallet to the Lord and say 'It's yours, I can't do it."  But then there are some 'human moments' that creep in when I want to grap the mallet and smash until I'm to exhausted to smash anymore.  I really want to play a different game.

Prayer needs: 

• Payton - Simply put, we need a miracle. Please pray for the healing of Payton's body.
  We have more tests this week and early next week.  Then the plan is to place a line in his chest to administer chemotherapy.  After chemo they will reassess the situation and continue with surgery or radiation and then more chemotherapy.  The treatment should last at least 9 months.
• Doctors and cancer team - wisdom and clarity
• Robin and the baby due in October 
• Insurance & Finances
  Cleburne Bible Church has established a medical fund for Payton.  All contributions are tax deductible.  The address is:
  Cleburne Bible Church
  PO Box 1522
  Cleburne, TX  76033
      *Please write Chumbley-Missions on memo line.
• Transportation - we need an 8 passenger vehicle to use while Payton is in treatment.
• We are technically on a Medical Leave of Absence from our work overseas.  We will be doing some work for WorldVenture and ACSI (Associated Christian Schools International) in recruiting new missionaries.  We will also be speaking about the needs of missions in Eastern Europe and the impact on TCKs.  If you would like for us to speak to your group please feel free to email or call me.  We will continue to need the financial as well as prayer support of our partners during this time we are stateside.
  

Our contact info is:

Terry & Robin Chumbley
1509 Tennyson Dr.
Cleburne, TX  76033

chumnsons@hotmail.com
817-645-8143