Wayne and Lena Marie Antusas are a beautiful couple on fire for Jesus!

Wayne, at the age of 19, was wrongfully convicted of a crime he did not commit and was given a sentence of natural life without parole.   Two months after he was charged, while in Cook County Jail, he  surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and was born again.

Early in his Christian walk the Lord told Wayne that he would go from city to city and state to state to proclaim the name of the Lord.  Wayne held on to that promise as he began his personal relationship with God, following Him closely every step of the way.  His time in prison became a powerful time of growth and ministry. As God taught Wayne through his extensive studies of the Word of GOD, he turned around and poured it out to others through leading prayer circles, bibles studies, and eventually the church service where he had the honor of assisting the chaplain in baptizing thirty men.

Then on February 11th, 2021, after spending 23 years in prison, the truth finally came out in Court and Wayne was not only set free, but he was exonerated nine months later when he received his certificate of innocence.  He married the love of his life, Lena Marie, who stood by his side the whole time that he was incarcerated. And together they began to seek God on how He wanted them to proceed in life. Wayne wasn’t out long before the burning in his heart for the men in prison brought him back to serve God there.  Now, five days a week, he teaches classes called “Ten steps toward Christ” and “ Celebrate Recovery”, under his program called "Builder of Men”. Wayne also works in unison with several large ministries to bring the Good News of Jesus Christ and to disciple men in the ways of the Lord, helping them become better husbands, fathers and servants of God.

Wayne has been given great favor in the hearts of those who run the jails and prisons in Northwest Indiana, and was very quickly given the highest possible access into these places by Indiana prison authorities.

Lena Marie, on the other hand, had been called into prison ministry herself years ago when she began to conduct “Angel Tree” programs at her business, bringing gifts to the children of inmates at Christmas time.  She knew then she was being called to this mission field.  She wanted to find a way onto the front lines of prisons where she could evangelize and minister to the inmates themselves.  She took training classes from “Prison Fellowship”. And not long after that, by the grace of God, the door was opened and she brought the Good News of Jesus Christ to women in division four at Cook County Jail.  Lena Marie has a great compassion for inmates and is extremely happy to serve with her husband, Wayne, in any way she can. She has the gifts of encouragement and hospitality, and is very happy in her role as Wayne’s wife and partner, both in his personal affairs and making sure to provide him with all he needs for the ministry by writing, organizing meetings, making phone calls, creating printed materials and whatever else he needs to be successful in serving GOD.

We are beyond blessed to welcome this power couple to our CCWM family and look forward to watching their ministry grow as GOD leads.