Lamberto Valino

Lamberto Valino

The Rev. Lamberto Valino, missionary with the Board of Global Ministries of The United Methodist Church, is assigned along with his wife, Angie, also a GBGM missionary, to the Kanagawa District in Japan where they minister to foreign and multi-national seafarers.

”We serve as a link between the land-based communities and the off-shore seafarers who often experience times of isolation and feel neglected,” Abet shares. ”The role and function of our ministry is primarily to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ through witness and service, and to promote justice and welfare within the seafarer community.”

Abet and Angie, as they are fondly called by friends, respond to the mission’s challenges by developing programs that help build cohesion among the different ethnic groups. Seafarers are invited to visit the center where they have a chance to meet others and communicate with their families by telephone or via the internet.

The Valinos also board ships to visit and help seafarers feel they have friends who can help heal their wounds of loneliness and longing due to being away from family and trusted friends for extended periods of time. ”The seafarers need someone who can help them find constructive ways to handle their emotions and relationship conflicts. They need someone who can offer them the quality time they need, especially when they are in the middle of despair-saturated circumstances.”

Abet recalls a conversation with a seaman onboard ship, ”We are isolated at sea most of the time. There are times when someone is downhearted but nobody cares, nobody listens. It seems we no longer have the capacity to balance life and care for ourselves. Satisfying our spiritual hunger in healthy ways is also difficult so meeting with people who understand our plight is important.”

Born in Cabanatuan City, the Philippines, Lamberto attended the Mapua Institute of Technology in Manila, where he earned a Bachelor's in Chemical Engineering. He worked in the private sector for many years before enrolling at Union Theological Seminary in Cavite, where he earned a bachelors in ministry.

Before beginning his service with GBGM, Lamberto served as chaplain at the Bulacan Ecumenical School, and pastor at Christian Faith UMC, Shepherd’s Flock UMC and Bethany UMC.

Prior to his ordination, Lamberto served as a lay delegate to the Middle Philippines Annual Conference. An ordained deacon and elder, Lamberto served on many committees for the Bulacan Philippines Annual Conference, including terms as President of South Bulacan Workers Fellowship, committee chairmanship including the Committee on Superintendence, Chairperson of the Committee on Committees, vice-chair of the District’s Committee of Ordained Ministry, and member of the BulPac Conference Board of Ordained Ministry. He also served as a member of the Board of Bulacan United Methodist Multi-Purpose Cooperative.

Lamberto and Angie are members of Bethany United Methodist Church in Bulacan, the Philippines.

Missionary code: 13993Z
Last update: 8/08

---

See also
Angelita Valino
Other missionaries working in | Japan | Asia-Pacific |
Other missionaries working as | GBGM MISSIONARY |

Search for other missionaries