Each summer, South Carolina Baptist camps serve as a powerful tool for evangelism and discipleship.

For some, camp is where they realized their need for a personal Savior, and their eternity was secured. For others, summer camp was the tool the Holy Spirit used to clarify a call to ministry. Year after year, camp experiences leave a lasting imprint on students, families, and churches across the state. Among the many stories from SummerSalt during the 2025 camp season, none stands out more than the story of Tye.

Tye is a student with Down syndrome who has been faithfully attending SummerSalt for several years. Each summer, Tye participates fully in the experience, supported by a peer from his church who joins him in his Bible study group. While this year’s partner Emory helped occasionally with directions and classroom locations, his primary responsibility was to help Tye through the final day of camp—a day Tye has consistently found difficult.

In fact, the previous two years required a quick search for Tye on the final day because he would attempt to hide, knowing his group would be heading home. Camp is that special to him.

Tye’s journey has not been without challenges. For over four years, he was part of South Carolina’s foster care system. Navigating foster care is difficult for any child, and Tye’s additional needs made it especially complex. Despite this difficult circumstance, God had something special planned for Tye. He was placed with a foster family who introduced him to the Gospel, to church, and to camp. Tye thrived with his new family, which includes two younger adopted siblings.

Tye’s Adoption

While Tye was away at camp this summer, his foster parents attended what they believed would be a routine case update. Instead, they received unexpected news: every legal obstacle had been cleared, and an adoption hearing was scheduled for the very next day.

Tye had long expressed a desire to be adopted, but he was not eager to leave camp. Thanks to the flexibility of modern technology, a unique solution became possible. The following day, Tye and his younger sister quietly slipped out of their Bible study group and joined their youth minister in the camp’s program office. There, via Zoom, the adoption hearing took place.

By the end of the call, it was official: Tye was forever a member of a wonderful and loving family. A new chapter began for him not in a courtroom, but in a place that had already played such a meaningful role in his story—summer camp.