PERSONAL WAR AGAINST DRUGS CLAIMS VICTIM

Christian Soldier Rescued Brother, Others From Addiction, Only to Die on
Bus in Gang Crossfire

Roland Stephenson was one of the most difficult addicts for his older
brother to turn away from drugs. Through their 20s and 30s, the two
men got high together, but in the last four years, Walter preached to
Roland about embracing God and leaving addiction behind.

"Walter used to come out to my job, see how I was doing," Roland said.
"We would pray together. He would say, 'When are you going to be ready
to turn yourself over to God?'"

In November, Roland, 45, was ready. He moved into the Christian
Assembly Outreach center at 2505 W. 63rd St., the same substance-abuse
ministry and halfway house where Walter had once found spiritual guidance.

Killed in Crossfire

On March 19, a stray bullet from gang crossfire killed Walter
Stephenson, 49, as he was riding a CTA bus in the 5600 block of West
Madison Street. He had been riding the bus as part of his one-man
drug-outreach program, looking for addicts in need of salvation.

Roland and a sister, Eleanor, 43, have vowed to continue his work and
street ministry. Both have fought addiction, saw drugs nearly destroy
their lives and found redemption through faith. They say they are
examples of Christian transformation that they hope other addicts will
follow.

Rev. Louis Wells, 55, a longtime pastor to the Stephenson family at
Fidelity Full Gospel Baptist Church, 1418 E. 75th St., and a former
addict, said that kind of commitment is uncommon among former addicts.

"I've seen those who get free [of drugs] and go on with their lives.
They're not interested in going out there, trying to help people like
themselves," he said. "The Stephensons are just different. They feel
that need to do something."

Since leaving the Christian Assembly Outreach in 2002, Walter
Stephenson spread the word that faith was stronger than drugs.It was a
message he carried all day during his work as a part-time television
repairman and then on long, solitary journeys on Chicago's public
transportation system.

"He was out there almost every night," Eleanor Stephenson said. "He
was out there looking for souls to save."

Eleanor quit drugs and joined Wells' congregation in 1994. She has
been a volunteer at the church's drop-in center for addicts ever
since. When Walter got cleaned up and began his street ministry, he
directed troubled souls to his sister, Wells and the church.

The program has been on hold since Walter's death. When it resumes,
Roland plans to take his brother's place as the spiritual traveler.

"I'm going to keep doing it, keep trying to win over souls," he said,
"convincing people that they need God in their life."

Eleanor and Roland describe how Wells instructed them on the power of
faith over addiction. But like a good teacher, he let them reach that
conclusion.

Eleanor's lesson came 10 years ago after she had spent all of her
money on drugs, had gone without power for four months and was unable
to feed her family. After being raised in a Christian household, she
and her brothers had fallen astray and had no interest in religion.

"I first met Pastor Wells when he buried my father, but I did not like
him. You could not get me into church," Eleanor said.

Desperate, she asked Wells for money. He answered her with a
proposition: Come to church next Sunday, and I'll buy your food.

"We cooked and ate," he said. "That Sunday, she showed up at
church."

Becomes a Regular

Eleanor gave up drugs and has been a regular at Wells' storefront
church since.

"I cried out for God, and he heard me, but my brothers were still left
out there," she said.

Eleanor tried to persuade Roland and Walter to make the same change,
but they did not hear her message. Only after Walter lost his son in a
car accident, was unemployed and living in a shed behind Eleanor's
house did he finally hear her.

"Walter, we weren't raised like this," she pleaded. "It's time for you
to come on in."

When Walter was ready, Wells was there.

"We just had a prayer with him," Wells said. "He was really literally
sleeping outdoors. He couldn't fall any further. He realized that he
had to try God."

And he needed to get away from the influences that fed his addiction,
so Wells sent Walter to the Christian Assembly Outreach, as he had
done with other addicts he counseled. There, in fellowship with other
addicts and with spiritual guidance, Walter gave up drugs. More than
that, he discovered his gift for preaching.

"He had it down pat," Wells said.

Eleanor was impressed how "Walter could meet someone, break the word
down and make them understand."

Walter's death shocked his family and church friends, but their faith
is unshaken.

"I went to the court and saw the guys that shot my brother," Eleanor
said of Keith Pinkey and Freddie Guise, both 17, charged with
first-degree murder. "I have to show some compassion, because if they
had known better, known [Walter], they never would have done it."

"We all have our time on Earth," Roland said, sitting in the foyer of
the Christian Assembly Outreach. "I'm not drinking or smoking dope or
taking another hit of crack cocaine. When we die is up to God. I was
ready for that when I walked through that door."