Today is a normal day for Tyler. The high school senior has a full day of classes as well as football practice; he’ll soon be on the field for the team’s first game of the season. Part-time, the teen works at a local grocery store, which helps him put gas in his truck and spending money in his wallet.
In the middle of the day-to-day busyness, Tyler is involved in student activities at his church and spends time with his family and siblings, including his baby brother, Liam.
Tyler’s life today is surrounded by a compassionate community of family, friends, and believers. This was not always the case.
“I know I wouldn’t be where I’m at today if it wasn’t for foster care and these adoption families that do these miraculous works,” Tyler reveals. “That love that these families have to take in these random kids off the streets or of these different living situations—it’s made a big impact on me.”
Tyler, along with his three-year-old brother Liam, were among these “random kids.” Life prior to being placed in the NC foster care system in January 2022 was the opposite of what he has received today. Not only has he been adopted by a Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH) foster-to-adopt family, but Tyler has also been adopted into God’s family, having now placed his trust in Christ.
Tyler and Liam are half-brothers—they have the same mother and different fathers. The two men have had little to no presence in their sons’ lives. There is a 14-year difference in age between the two siblings who barely spent any time together prior to being placed in the NC foster care—a system overtaxed with more than 10,000 children in its care at the state level.
Instability and other challenges at the boys’ home (details which are confidential for the best interest of Tyler and Liam) made it impossible for them to stay. In December 2021, the Department of Social Services (DSS) removed three-month-old Liam from the home for his well-being. One month later, they placed Tyler in the foster care system as well.
“It was definitely a different living situation than it is now,” Tyler explains. “(Today), we always get provided what we need—clothes, food, shoes, socks, whatever we need.”
The family providing those needs and the safe home for Tyler and Liam is Chris and Lindsay Ciufo (pronounced Chew-fo). Chris is the Associate Pastor/Student Minister at Cowee Baptist Church in Franklin. He and Lindsay have four biological children from ages five to 12.
“There was a dream for more (children),” Chris says, “and God opened up some doors in a different way and that was through foster care.”
Chris and Lindsay are an EVERY CHILD foster-to-adopt couple through Baptist Children’s Homes (BCH). EVERY CHILD is a partnership between BCH and NC Baptists where BCH team members come alongside churches to train and license couples in congregations who feel called, as a part of their faith, to be Christian foster families.
Cowee Baptist held an informational meeting where interested couples could learn more about the process. As a result, the Ciufos, along with several other families, became foster families through BCH.
Chris and Lindsay brought three-month-old Liam into their family. Tyler was placed with the Welch family, another couple at Cowee who was licensed by BCH. As a result, the estranged brothers not only had compassionate homes with their respective foster families, they began to form a relationship because of the community they shared through their church. It also became an opportunity for Tyler and the Ciufos to form a bond of their own.
As time passed and relationships grew, it became apparent that a new opportunity was presenting itself.
“One day after school, we had a DSS meeting with my case worker. We were talking about where I wanted to be placed permanently,” Tyler explains. “They said I could stay with my foster family at the time or come to (the Ciufos) and be with my brother.”
Through the cooperation of the two foster families, Tyler moved in with Chris, Lindsay, and their children. Tyler has another older brother, but there is not a strong connection between them.
“I wanted to be with Liam since I didn’t really have my brother to grow up with,” Tyler says. “I want my little brother to have a good childhood, and I didn’t want him to have that same feeling as me.”
Tyler and Liam have thrived as brothers in the same household. Tyler has also grown personally and spiritually throughout his experiences with his foster families. His spiritual journey culminated in Summer 2023 during a Sunday morning worship and baptism service at Cowee.
“I was feeling a bunch of conviction during that service,” Tyler recalls. “I don’t even remember what the service was—I was just convicted the entire time.”
As associate pastor, Chris Ciufo was standing at the front of the stage in case anyone needed to pray. All of a sudden, Chris saw Tyler rise from his seat and walk towards him. It was at that moment that Tyler placed his faith in Jesus Christ as foster father and foster son prayed together. Then, the two entered the baptismal.
“It’s been our prayer since the moment we received him into our family that he would be our son, but also our brother in Christ,” Chris tearfully shared with the congregation as he prepared to immerse Tyler into the water.
With members of the Cowee Baptist family surrounding them, Tyler and Liam were adopted by Chris and Lindsay in February 2024.
Written By Blake Ragsdale, Vice President of Communications
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