Served in Sri Lanka 1937-1961, 1981-1985
Sis. Reineker, of German birth, is remembered for long years of sacrificial service to the people of Sri Lanka. It is she who built the church in Jaffna. She later returned to serve us once more in the 1980’s, when she was instrumental in the development of the new Bible College campus at Ja-Ela.
Sis. Reineker impacted many peoples lives and below a short testimony of the impact she made to the father of a young girl , Julia Thomas.
Growing up, I often heard the story of Rosa Reineker — a woman deeply committed to God, who felt a strong call to become a missionary but didn’t know where she was meant to go. While studying at a Bible college in the USA, she wrestled with the uncertainty until one day, in frustration and faith, she spun a globe, closed her eyes, and placed her finger on it as it stopped. Her finger landed on a tiny island she had never heard of — Ceylon (now Sri Lanka).
Despite having no knowledge of the country and facing strong opposition from her family, she chose to follow God’s call. She arrived in Ceylon, full of faith, and began her ministry by going door to door. 
My father lived right next to where the current Assemblies of God church stands. The old wooden pews at the back of the church — they’re still there today.
In those early days, she held Sunday school classes under the trees, before the church building was constructed. She used to bring wooden toy car keychains from Germany as little rewards for the kids who memorized their memory verses. My dad received one of those keychains.
Years later, when my dad passed away and I was just 13, Rosa came to visit our home. I showed her the toy keychains my dad had kept all those years. She broke dow n in tears and said, “Wow… he kept it all these years.” That keychain is now with my brother, Angelo Arulanandam.
I’m so grateful that when she was just 21, she spun that globe. Because she obeyed God’s call, even when it didn’t make sense, our family came to know Christ.
