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Evangelism Anna's Style
By Jerri Phillips (Anna's Mom)

Granted, I tend to get in a hurry about too much unimportant stuff in life, and I have been learning to relax and not get uptight when the clock says we are running behind my mental schedule of where we need to be at a specific time. However, our son has extremely limited patience, which is only exacerbated by sitting in a shopping cart. In order for us to have a low-stress shopping experience, I have to get as much done as possible before Robert's patience meter moves to empty. Anna, however, has no concerns about Robert's patience or my mental schedule. She has an agenda.

"Do you have to talk to everyone?" I grumble frequently, too frequently.

Anna looks at me without emotion, as though this were an incredibly obvious question. "Yes. It's what I do, Mom. That's how I spend my life."

I sigh and shake my head. She's right. It's what she does. There is some little mechanism inside Anna that simply forces her to speak with everyone she meets. Well, there are a few who escape without verbal confrontation, but those are few, and those people usually have an attached explanation that is whispered so only I can hear. "He is really mean." "She is so angry. That kind of being mad scares me." I have no idea what precipitates each particular statement. I only know that when people like that are close, Anna is close to me. I'm glad. I prefer it that way. As for everyone else, well, they are free game to an Anna whose job in this world is to make contact.

Doubtless, you can imagine how frustrating this is when I am in a hurry. Even more, you can imagine how concerning it can be considering Anna's age and the risks posed by the world around us. Of course, we also try to be courteous to others as well and realize that some people simply do not wish to be spoken to. Strangely, though, that never seems to happen with Anna. If I try to draw her away, people will wave me off. "Oh, no, she's precious. I'm enjoying her. Please let her talk." Okay, if you say so.

Despite the apparent joy of those Anna invites into her world, it gets tiresome having to talk to someone everywhere we go, every time we stop—even at the McDonald's drive through. I have to confess, it has been the source of much frustration and grumbling, and consequently much repentance. I know Anna is social, and I know she "just has to talk" to everyone, but I didn't really understand it until a few key conversations made things very clear to me.

The enlightenment began a few weeks ago when Anna and I were discussing friends. "Mommy, I have more friends than you do."

"You do?" I asked chuckling to myself and only partially taking her seriously. My mistake.

"Yes."

"Why do you say that?" This should be interesting, I thought.

"I have more friends because I think people are interesting, and everywhere I go, I make it a point to meet people. I want to know them, and I want them to know me. I want to have friends because it makes me happy, and it makes them happy too because we all need friends. I've noticed that you don't talk to people like I do, and it makes me wonder why. Doesn't it bother you that when we go somewhere, I end up with new friends that make me happy and you end up with no one to talk to but you?" Let me first say that, yes,
our
daughter can talk and reason like that, and let me then say that I just sat there and stared at her. She was looking straight into my face, emotionless, just stating an observation, wondering why I had missed the boat. Was it by choice or ignorance? I think the latter.

Last week, the rest of the explanation came. Due to Robert's climbing and gymnastic abilities, we have decided its time to get him closer to the floor in a twin bed, so the children and I were shopping for beds. We arrived at a store around ten minutes early, and as we waited, a kind man, with whom Anna had to talk, joined us. However, the conversation was not the common one including and exchange of names and life stories.

"I talk to people I meet," she began. "Every where I go, I talk to people. If I am on the train to Dallas, I talk to the people I meet. If I am at the zoo, I talk to people. If I am at Wal-Mart, I talk to people. Everywhere I go, I talk to people, and you know why?"

The man didn't know. I didn't either, but I was interested in hearing this.

"I talk to people because everyone needs to know about Jesus. If I talk to people and they are nice and let me talk long enough, I can tell them about Jesus, and they have to know about Jesus if they want to go to heaven. I don't want anyone going to hell, so I talk about Jesus and God. It seems to work because everyone will let you talk to them, even if you are only a little girl. People like to know I want to be their friend because we all want friends to love us, so I talk to them and be their friend and tell them about Jesus." She was sort of hopping and skipping around when suddenly she was standing right in front of the man and looked up. "Do you know Jesus? He's the only way you can go to heaven."

My eyes were wide. How would he react? What would he say? Wow! What an awesome little girl I have! Talk about bold evangelism! I fought back the tears. Would this be the moment that changed that man's life? Would my daughter lead him to Jesus right there in front of a store that had divinely not opened although it was past opening time?

He smiled so graciously. "Yes, I do. Do you know Jesus?"

Anna looked at him. "Yes, sir. I do. Are you going to heaven?"

"Yes, I am. Are you?"

"Yes, sir. I asked Jesus to forgive my sins and live in my heart. That's all you have to do, you know? He'll forgive you no matter what because He loves you."

"Yes, Anna, He will." Did she tell him her name? I don't remember her telling him her name. I must have missed it.

Within seconds the door was opened, and we all went inside to our different areas of interest. "Anna, is that really why you talk to people? So you can tell them about Jesus?"

"Yes. You just usually don't give me long enough to get to that part." Oh, I see. Definitely have to make more time for conversation during out trips and shopping. After all, we have some really awesome stuff to talk about, and we need to tell everyone. Think that is a little too pushy, a little too confrontational? I did too, but it works. Just ask Anna. After all, it's what she does. It is how she spends her life, introducing others to the Lord of life… what a way to live.