Nadeek with his daughter Rebeka.

Funeral services were held this week for a Gospel for Asia missionary leader in Sri Lanka known for using his karate expertise to further God’s work. Pastor Nadeek Ravindra, 42, died Friday, October 12, from cardiac arrest. He had been admitted to the hospital the first week of October after being diagnosed with tuberculosis, but he had been suffering from lung problems for several years.

Nadeek is survived by his wife, Prasha; their two sons, Kavan 16, and Daniel, 12, and a daughter, Rebeka, 4.

In addition to his pastoral responsibilities over two churches of about 100 members each, he was a regional leader for GFA in Sri Lanka, overseeing more than 30 pastors, supervising the women’s and children’s ministries for his area, and directing more than 15 mission stations. Because his region of ministry was located in the tsunami-affected area of Sri Lanka, he gave leadership to the ongoing relief work among the survivors.

Before he gave his life to Christ, Nadeek was a martial arts expert, in high demand as an instructor and trainer. After he came to Christ, he realized his skills were actually gifts from God, to be used for His glory. He would not hesitate to perform feats of strength and agility to draw the attention of a crowd and then testify of how God delivered him from anger, depression and the control of evil spirits.

“He didn’t know that he only had eight months left to live, but he invested all he had, and it was worth it.”

“When people who knew me 25 years ago look at me now,” he once expressed in an interview, “they see a different person. I was a martial arts master, and now I am a missionary. My life was an utter mess, but now the Lord has done things in me that nobody could have ever imagined. They see the real change in me… . I want to make this message clear to people who are lost like I was. This is my main passion.”

A GFA staff member visited Nadeek’s home about eight months ago and testified to the passion in his life to reach his people with the love of God.

Nadeek uses his karate skills to share his personal testimony of how God saved him.

“I saw his schedule posted on the wall,” she remembers. “He had so much vision and creativity to reach his people. He had all kinds of goals.

“He and Prasha loved their people; it was so obvious. Everything was about reaching them with God’s love. People were in and out of their home all day long. He didn’t know that he only had eight months left to live, but he invested all he had, and it was worth it.”

GFA President K.P. Yohannan is asking the Body of Christ to pray for Nadeek’s family. “Please remember Prasha and their children in your prayers,” he requests. “We as a ministry will help take care of them and make sure the children get a good education.” And, he adds, Prasha plans to continue on in the ministry.

GFA published a story about Nadeek Ravindra in the fourth quarter 2005 issue of SEND! magazine. Click here to read of his martial arts past, how he came to Christ, and how he worked to build God’s kingdom in Sri Lanka. Click here to learn more about the nation of Sri Lanka.