Coming Home!

After 44 years of faithful service, the Spalinks will be retiring and moving back to the United States this December! Just in time for Christmas. What a gift!

It was recently asked of me how I felt about their retirement. I feel, as I imagine they also do, an aching sense of grief. Japan has been “home” for many years, in fact the majority of their lives. Their dedication to serving the people in Japan has been inspirational to say the least. I also feel a great sense of relief as their time in Japan comes to an end. Years, space (more than 7000 miles), and time zones have separated all of us for far too long. My brothers and I share in the joy at the thought of having them in the same country as us. Finally, we will be able to live our lives side by side after so many years and miles apart. They finally will have the chance to spend more time with us, their grandchildren, and my grandmother who have coveted their attention for a long time. 

That being said, this move across the sea also means Mom and Dad are packing up the last 44 years of their lives. They will have to leave the vast majority of their belongings behind. As you can imagine, shipping their most precious belongings to the States comes at quite a high financial cost. Our hope is to raise some funding to help cover moving and relocation expenses.

If you feel so inclined to offer your financial support to help with costs of moving, shipping, relocating and resettling, please consider donating to this fund. All donations will be given directly to the Spalinks. Please note that these donations are considered a personal gift and as such are not tax deductible. This fundraiser is being put together by us, their children, in an effort to lessen the burden of relocation and moving expenses.