A specific prayer request, and notes for me

Prayer Request:
Here is what I am praying for now. I am praying that my father will recover, that I can get to Taiwan and help make arrangements to move my parents stateside, and get my father military medical care. During that, I want to work with my father to arrange for his benefits to apply to mom after he dies. And I want honor my father and mother while they live, to take care of them.

Notes:
When my father was admitted this week, my mother attempted to contact me but had lost my phone number; my dad usually tracks these things. She did find my email address and asked a friend to contact me via email. Today, my mom found my cell phone number and called me. I promised to call her back, and mom went to the hospital to see dad.

My father's been in the hospital since Thursday or Friday (Taiwan) evening. My mom says he has been unconscious for two or three days. My mother is very distraught, and I think she is quite scared. Mom wants me to be there as soon as I can. I'll need a ticket right away.

I called Ruby, my sister-in-law. She calls two or three times a month, so she's got more current information, but was not aware this yet. My father has been sick for some time now. Dad has fought tuberculosis several times in his life, and it has occurred again. He's also had pneumonia for almost two months, with difficulty breathing and much coughing. He's been weak during this illness and been to the hospital several times. She'll update my other brothers.

Ruby says my parents did receive my letters and cards, but have not been feeling well enough to respond. My previous phone calls were unpleasant, so I simply quit calling. They couldn't write back, and I wouldn't call, so I did not know any of this. *sigh*

As soon as I hung up the phone with my mom I realized I would need a ticket. Then it struck me that I would need a passport, and mine had expired in 2005. You can call the Department of State at 202-647-4000 for an emergency passport, but the operator told me the after hours passport duty officer was swamped and would probably have to call me back. Also, the duty officer would probably need the hospital to fax over proof. I left a message and it's been five hours so far...

I already called my boss and made other arrangements for my duties at church...

I checked all my email addresses. I found the email in my Yahoo! spam box. I found the email her friend sent, and traded instant messages with. His name is San.

The situation is poor, and the doctor indicated that my father could die at any time. The chances that my father will recover is less than 15%. He is at the 林口長庚醫院 (Lin Ko Hospital). I saw a link for 長庚 and found the address, 桃園縣龜山鄉復興街5號. So, now I have a phone number and fax number for the hospital.

As soon as I get my passport, I will get tickets, and then go. I don't know how long emergency passports take, but I haven't heard from the duty officer yet. Cathy packed a bag for me, and told her dad's church in Georgia.

I messaged a couple of friends for prayer support, and Wallance gave me her calling card number to save me money. I got a call from my mom and updated her, specifically the need for a passport. She kinda lost it on the phone and told me what a rotten son I've been again, but I just let her yell it out; she's stressed.

I then emailed all my friends, blogged it, called my church prayer chain, and stopped to pray by myself. I didn't know what to pray for. But, after praying, it did occur to me that I need to take care of my mom, and I don't know how that will work. I called Ruby again, and she doesn't know if dad has a will, either. *sigh*

I know the Air Force will transport him for medical care. I think the Air Force will also transfer caskets, too, but only as far as U.S. soil. I don't know how my father's retirement benefits could be transferred to his widow, and how to arrange for my mom to have access to dad's bank account.

Here is what I am praying for now. I am praying that my father will recover, that I can get to Taiwan and help make arrangements to move my parents stateside, and get my father military medical care. During that, I want to work with my father to arrange for his benefits to apply to mom after he dies. And I want honor my father and mother while they live, to take care of them.