Lenya Heitzig

Lenya Heitzig was headed for a promising career in fashion merchandising when God changed her direction. After a lifetime steeped in agnosticism, Lenya became a Christian in 1978, joining the Jesus Movement in Southern California.

Her training for ministry was forged on the anvil of servant leadership. She joined Youth With a Mission (YWAM) in 1980 as single women's counselor and discovered that ministry is not just telling people how to act but serving them as cook and secretary. Helping to establish a Christian coffeehouse in the red light district of Honolulu and sharing Christ's love with prostitutes and pimps taught Lenya compassion.

After YWAM, Lenya married Skip Heitzig, a determined California surfer on his own spiritual journey. In 1981 they headed to the Southwest and settled in Albuquerque. Their home Bible study quickly blossomed into Calvary of Albuquerque, which now sees over 10,000 people in weekly attendance. The Heitzigs share a passion for world missions, and they have traveled together to Japan, India, Rwanda, Israel, Jordan, Mexico, Honduras, and Europe spreading the gospel.