When tragedy strikes someone, many people feel they do not have anyone to turn to for a helping hand.

One Greenville family has discovered that they have more than God to go to for help; they have their church family.

After a fire destroyed Vic and Amy Morris's home on Thursday, destroying everything they owned, their friends at Southside Baptist Church stepped into action to aid the family in their time of need by starting a relief fund for the family.

Cindy Dewberry, a friend of the family from Southside, said the fund was started because the Morris' friends wanted to be there for the family as much as possible.

"We love them and want to help them," Dewberry said. "It's sad to walk through where the house used to be and see everything that melted and have burnt debris crackling under your feet."

Dewberry said she is convinced that the Lord has looked after the family in their time of need.

"So many things could have happened, but didn't," she said.

Amy Morris said she also believes God looked after her family during this terrible time in their lives.

"We lost everything we had, but we still have our lives," Morris said. "We have the good Lord to thank for that."

Morris and her two daughters, Jessica, 14, and Jennifer, 12, were at their house at 387 Newton Road off Halso Mill Road when the house caught fire at about 2:05 p.m. during a thunder storm when lightening struck the house.

"We were sitting in the living room when there was a loud pop. The lights went off and then came right back on," Morris said. "My mother called to make sure we were O. K. because it popped so loud."

Morris said about this time, her oldest daughter mentioned that she noticed a funny smell. After she hung up the phone, her daughter let out a blood-curdling scream.

"I turned around a saw the fire back toward the laundry room," Morris said. "It all happened so fast, and we are blessed to have gotten out alive."

Morris said the lightening struck by the gas dryer in the laundry room. Above it were a rack of towels, which immediately caught fire.

The house, which was about 63 years old, belonged to Morris's grandmother.

"Sometimes you reach a point where you cry until you can't cry anymore," Morris said. "Our church family has been wonderful and have stayed behind us, so we know we'll be O.K. It's been really hard, but we've had such great support."

If anyone is interested in helping the family, the relief fund has been set up at Colonial Bank under the name of Vic and Amy Morris.