Eleven fire victims ‘did mean something’

[The Straight Story]

Eleven fire victims ‘did mean something’

(Globe/Roger Nomer Cecil Hall, pastor of Anderson Full Gospel Church, wrote a poem that was read at the recent funeral for John Wallerstedt, one of 10 people who died Nov. 27 in a fire at the Anderson Guest House. )

By Andy Ostmeyer

[e-mail]

ANDERSON, Mo. — John-John couldn’t speak.

“The only word I heard him say was mama,” said Cecil Hall, pastor of Anderson Full Gospel Church.

The 43-year-old John-John, who had Down syndrome, resorted to grunting when he wanted Hall’s blessing. He joined others at Hall’s church for the past few years.

At church, he would take his cues from the pastor, mimicking him as he raised his hands in praise or tapped his foot to the music.

“If it was a song that was upbeat, he’d just look at my foot, and he’d make the tap, try it himself, keep it in beat,” Hall said. “He would get it, boy, then he would just smile.”

Hall said there was a lesson in the simplicity of John-John’s faith in a world of man-made complexities.

Hall wrote a poem titled “Abba” that was read at John-John’s funeral:

John-John had

No discernible language.

Word and verse,

From him they failed.

But ’tis clear to me,

When he came to worship,

http://www.joplinglobe.com/local/local_story_357215617.html

[proud2BlibKansan]

1. This is such a sad story

and it has become a political debate. Our paper in KC has printed several articles where the repuke governor and his staff are trying to lay blame for the fire at Claire McCaskill, the newly elected US Senator, who was state auditor. Meanwhile, the Dems are blaming the governor.

It sure would be nice to see new policies that prevent such tragedies in the future.

[cornermouse]

2. Possibly the cruelest blow of all. No respect or dignity from the state.

(last 2 paragraphs from above source)

"Not everyone who died in the Anderson Guest House fire had family. Mark O’ber, 55, was his own guardian and was at the home of his own choice, according to McDonald County Coroner B.J. Goodwin.

Goodwin said authorities located a brother who also is in long-term care, but Goodwin could find no one to claim O’ber’s body. The body was cremated, and the ashes were taken to an ossuary for the indigent at Mount Home Cemetery in Webb City."

You would think that under the circumstances they would have made an effort to find someplace other than the modern equivalent of a pauper's grave.