In this episode of When She Serves, Krista Fox sits down with veteran missionary Leona Karni, whose more than four decades on the mission field have taken her from Israel to Thailand to Liberia and beyond. Leona shares her testimony from the beginning — a childhood altar call at age nine, a season of rebellion and drug use as a hitchhiking Buddhist in 1970s California, and the moment God spoke audibly into her apartment and set her on a path back to Him.
Leona also opens up about the year she spent studying Hebrew Scripture with her Israeli husband to determine for herself whether Jesus was the Messiah, and the surprising verse in Exodus that God used to settle the question for good. From there, the conversation follows her calling into full-time missions: a prophetic word spoken over her at a roadside rest stop in Louisiana, a jaw-dropping story of buying a house with a single dollar and no income, and eleven and a half years serving trafficked and at-risk children in Thailand.
Now in her 80s and living in Bradenton, Florida, Leona is still stepping out in faith — currently working to launch a Bible school in the Peruvian jungle and to build a network of women across South America who intercede for pastors and churches. She and Krista talk candidly about discerning God's voice, pushing through seasons of doubt, and why being "used of the Lord" is still, after all these years, the greatest joy of her life.
- Leona's childhood introduction to the gospel and her years walking away from faith
- Coming to Christ after studying Hebrew Scripture to test whether Jesus was the Messiah
- A prophetic word delivered by a stranger at a roadside rest stop
- The remarkable story of buying a house in Chestertown, Maryland with a one-dollar down payment
- Eleven and a half years on the mission field in Thailand working with children vulnerable to trafficking
- Current work in Bradenton, Florida, including plans for a Bible school in the Peruvian jungle
- Advice for discerning God's call and pressing on through seasons of doubt
Leona is the author of several books available on Amazon, including Chosen in Love, which tells the story of her inward journey from anger to the freedom of God's love as she ministered around the world. 👉 Find it on Amazon
When She Serves is created for women who serve in ministry, offering global voices, biblical wisdom, and encouragement for women in ministry leadership.
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