When the pastor of Miami's Apostolic Revival Church got robbed in South Africa, he chased the thief down and pinned him to the ground. He was 70 years old.

Now 78, the Rev. Dr. Gilbert S. Smith, CEO of the Apostolic Evangelistic Association, was honored by the naming of Northwest 15th Avenue after him for doing just that -- fighting crime, though this time in the neighborhood where he long has been a force for change.

The street designation, co-sponsored by Miami Commissioner Michelle Spence-Jones and Miami-Dade Commissioner Dorrin D. Rolle, was to pay tribute to Smith's longtime efforts to rid the avenue of crime, feed the homeless and establish a free tutoring program for children. About 150 people attended the dedication.

The designation includes a portion of Northwest 15th Avenue from 62nd to 71st streets.

``If everybody runs out of the community, somebody's got to stay and fight to get it cleaned up,'' said Smith.

According to Smith, the area around his church, Apostolic Revival Center, 6702 NW 15th Ave., used to be drug-infested. There were gang members who kept killing each other, and even the place where his church is located used to be called a ``drug supermarket.'' But Smith was not afraid of the drug dealers.

``I was in the military in the Korean War and I am not afraid of [them]; I buried a lot of them,'' said Smith. ``My job is staying day in and day out in the community and deal with them.''

Smith said he made a lot of dealers and addicts quit drugs. He sent some of his preachers to the jails to help the drug addicts, revved up the policing of the area and even found jobs for the ex-addicts.

One of those he helped was Michael Allen, deacon of the church for 30 years.

``I was from a broken home who did not have a father and I met this man at the church who taught me how to take care of my wife and children,'' said Allen. ``When I walked into the church I was doing drugs, alcohol and I was shaking up to women and he opened up my eyes to Christ.''

The Apostolic Evangelistic Association has more than 260 churches all over the world in places like Nicaragua, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Guyana, Trinidad, Grenada and Haiti in which Smith also preaches on missions.

Elizabeth Howell, a 19-year church member, spearheaded the naming of the street.

``I wanted him to see his flower and show him how much we appreciate him, because when he's dead and gone he'll know nothing, but if he's alive he can appreciate it,'' said Howell, 51. Howell and her husband, Rufus, 49, know of the pastor's kindness. They accompanied Smith on a mission to Kenya in 2005. Because of the high altitude, Rufus had to go to the hospital. Not only did the pastor pay the medical bills, but he also stayed and prayed for him.

Rufus Howell, an elder in the church, said in that trip along with the pastor they put two water wells in the country. Before that, people had to walk eight miles to get water from a river full of crocodiles.

Part of Smith's work, Rufus Howell said, is to preach the gospel of Christ around the world like the Apostle Paul. ``You don't have many modern-day apostles that preach the gospels like him anymore,'' he said.

According to Elizabeth Howell, the congregation wanted to honor Smith because of the work he had been doing with the international ministry and for all his giving.

``He has a hunger for souls, encouraging the people to be safe, to see Jesus and be ready for when the Lord is going to come,'' she said. ``So let me do a little more that will encourage him to do even more.''

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