Larry Totzke in Prague
I got the following letter from LT that he wrote on Sunday June 8th:

Hi Mike,

Since I don’t know how I’m gonna do email yet, I’m putting this in a word file to enclose with the message. It’s Sunday AM and I’ve got ½ hour before I walk over to the Swain’s for church. They’re having communion and IK get to lead in bread and cup.

I had an eventful time getting here on Thursday. The flight from Frankfurt to Prague was overbooked and I was late getting to the ticket counter so they put me on standby. I was the last person to get on the plane and only then because a couple of people gave up their seats for goodies.

I met George Swain at the Prague airport as planned and he told me that we go to the B&B by bus and metro. You know how heavy the big suitcase was! Well I got on the bus, but the doors closed before George could get on! I had no money, no ticket and no idea where I was going. Did I panic? Almost! But I got off the bus at the first stop and decided to wait for George. Two more buses with the same number came by and NO George. Did I panic? Almost! I decided to see if anyone spoke English and had a cell phone. As I was trying to confer with two kind Czech guys, there came George trudging up. He had gotten on another bus right behind mine and the drive passed my bus and dropped him off at the 2nd stop. When George saw that I wasn’t on the 1st bus he circled back around and met me. Whew! Welcome to Prague, LT.

Syl may have emailed you already and told you that Lin was still in the hospital as of Friday. I haven’t talked to her since then, so I don’t know the latest. Her mom is supposed to fly out today. Please pray for all 3 of them, but Lin the most. This was in the plans.

I’m learning my way around the area. The B&B is very nice. The Swains live about a 10-15 minute walk from here. The metro is about 5 minutes away. Friday George and I toured downtown, and he showed me places to take the teams to eat, the bank, post office, train station and other important landmarks. No sightseeing until Syl arrives.

Saturday we went to a memorial reunion of the Czech WW II air force and 398th US Air Wing to commemorate the anniversary of the crash of one of our B 17s in the village of Slany about ½ hour outside Prague. One of Cindy’s friends from the Ashland GBC is the niece of one of the B 17 crew who was killed and her parents were invited guests, so we got to tag along. There was an air show, roasted pig, lots of speeches and gifts for the Americans, and plenty of beer (but I abstained!). I think George and Cindy made a couple of contacts.

About 10 hours have gone by since I wrote the above. Church is over; I had no success sending email; and I talked to Syl.

Church was good. Cindy Swain plays guitar and they sing in Czech real well. It was cool to have communion with them and to recognize the unity we have as described in Ephesians 4:3-6.

Syl gave me an update to pass on about Linda. She is still in the hospital, but good things are starting to happen. Her colon is “waking up” and starting to function. That may mean starting a liquid diet today and maybe real food tomorrow. She and Syl are praying together, and it sounds like Syl’s prayer to be a good caregiver is being answered. My prayer is that Lin is better enough by Tuesday that Syl can leave for Prague without having to worry too much about her.

Pressing on in Prague,

LT