Egypt (MNN) — Egypt remains in limbo as they await presidential elections this summer. The small amount of progress made since Mubarak's ouster a year ago has thrown many Egyptians into desperation.
"They had this massive protest; the world was watching. But not much has changed there," explains Tom Doyle with E3Partners.
Doyle says if anything, living conditions have worsened for Egyptians since the Arab Spring turned the nation upside down in early 2011.
Egypt's financial status is extremely low, ranking below poor nations like El Salvador, Namibia, and Ecuador in GDP per capita, according to the CIA.
"We heard a couple of years ago that 40% of the people in Egypt live under the world poverty level–that's about under $2 a day or less. Now it's up to 47%," says Doyle.
More disturbing than those statistics are the truth about where poorer Egyptians are forced to make their homes. Throughout the chaos of the last year, many people have been displaced. Now they're making their home with the dead.
"There is a large population that is displaced. They basically have nothing, and they live in graveyards in Egypt. One of the believers told me that six million people in Egypt actually live in graveyards."
Six million people is the equivalent size of the state of Israel, Doyle points out.
Desperation is obvious. And with the Muslim Brotherhood likely taking control come election time, things could potentially get worse.
On top of poverty, radicalism may also put peoples' lives in jeopardy. A group that's emerged out of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Salafis, are highly feared for their extremism. But, Doyle warns, "There's that element of their involvement in the government, too, that looks almost certain."
The outlook is looking grim for Egypt, economically and politically. Yet in the midst of disaster, the country is taking a new turn spiritually.
Over the last year, Egyptian believers have grown bolder and bolder in their witness for Christ. Now even Salafis–who, Doyle says, are feared by everyone–are having visions of Jesus and repenting.
Keep praying for Egypt.
