We found out that one of our MCC Ethiopia guards, Sultan, died this past week. He didn't die of natural causes, age or disease. No, he died because he sustained injuries from a vehicle accident. He wasn't in a vehicle. A blue and white taxi, ubiquitous throughout the city of Addis Ababa, lost his brakes going downhill to the ALERT circle on the Ring Road near the MCC compound and plowed into a group of pedestrians.

This is the reality of Ethiopia. Vehicles aren't maintained on a regular basis and we heard of many accidents in our 4 years of vehicles losing their brakes. Earlier this year a city bus full of people was going on a downhill road when the driver discovered he didn't have any brakes. He ended up plowing into a crowd of people waiting at a bus stop, killing many and injuring many more. The majority of drivers are also not qualified to be on the road. Some statistics cite up to 70% of the Ethiopian drivers on the road drive without any license, or with a false license or have obtained a license through bribes or other means. The government is trying, there are traffic police everywhere and they make routine stops daily.

It is hard to believe that Sultan is not going to be in the MCC compound any more. I still see his face in my mind of the last time we saw each other. We were leaving for good on June 25 and he said good-bye to each of us in the family. I am glad we had a chance to say good-bye.

Sultan, like our other regular guards, was always willing to lend a hand in the compound. He would be up on the roof sweeping off the tree detritus that had fallen and was blocking the eavestroughs. All the MCC vehicles were kept clean by Sultan and the other guards. When we would come back from shopping for groceries he was always there ready to lend a hand.

Our family is devastated. Our daughters recounted, with tears in their eyes, how he was such a pleasant person to be around. All the guards would walk our girls down to the SIM compound to catch a taxi to school in the mornings and then meet them to walk them back in the afternoons. None of the guards knew English but Sultan tried more than most to talk with them.

Sultan leaves a wife and two children. That is probably the most painful of all. The safety nets in Ethiopia are few and thin. Life will be unstable and hard for Tigist and the children. If she marries again then that may change. Marriage is one safety net. MCC will also help as another safety net. We do that for thousands of people in our many programs and we certainly will do it for those who have worked loyally for MCC over the years.