“The members are courageous and services were conducted in the churches last Sabbath in spite of the turmoil in the country. The Nile Union Academy, the boarding high school operated by the church, has been closed temporally. Most of the students have gone home but some, that have nowhere else to go. They will remain at the academy. Although there has been gunfire nearby, they feel safe and also feel that they have support of the local community”, said Pastor Llewellyn R. Edwards, President of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Egypt.

About 130 students attend the academy and some 800 attend the Zeitoun Elementary school in Cairo.

“We have talked with local militias and they told us that they are here to protect the community”, says Pastor Edwards, and continues, “you are part of the community and you have nothing to fear; we will protect you.”

Some 100 people have reportedly died in nationwide protests calling for President Hosni Mubarak to resign. The unrest follows similar protests in Tunisia and Yemen.

"There is no news at all that any of our 12 churches, 700 members and two schools are affected in any way," said Llewellyn R. Edwards, president of the denomination's Egypt Field.

Phone service in Egypt was working again this weekend after most communication was shut down Friday, reports said.

Tibor Szilvasi, executive secretary of the church's Middle East Union, with headquarters in Beirut, Lebanon, has since been in contact with leadership by phone. There are no reports of any threats to members or church property, he said.

"Our members in Egypt, like the general Egyptian population, are somewhat apprehensive and waiting prayerfully to see what will happen," he said. "So far all are reported to be OK."