“A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity.”
Proverbs 17:17 (NKJV)
There comes a time in all of our lives when life doesn’t go as we’d thought. When tragedy hits, adversity strikes, and we find ourselves swirling downward in doubts, confusion, and pain, our faith tested to what seems like the limits. It’s in these moments we realize that we can’t do this on our own and that’s exactly what Cam Ayala’s story attests to. If it wasn’t for Jesus, a band of brothers, and community, Cam Ayala’s story would have certainly looked very different.
Born with a painful disease called Lymphedema, Cam experienced chronic pain, swelling and infections in his body as a result of it. In 2022, he went in for a knee replacement surgery, hopeful that this would improve his state of living. However, the surgery didn’t go as planned. Due to a surgeon error, Cam was faced with a weighty decision. On June 22, 2022, Cam opted to have an above the knee amputation on his right leg.
The journey to recovery and navigating limb loss wasn’t easy to be sure: “When my amputation first took place, I was afraid [and] ashamed to look at my body in the mirror because I felt like I was inadequate. It is easy to tell ourselves that we are ‘fearfully and perfectly made’ (Psalm 139), but to TRUST and BELIEVE in that is another level of faith.”
“Community has been EVERYTHING to me in my limb loss journey. But more importantly, my community of believers has transformed my faith journey.”
Yet, if it hadn’t been for his faith in Jesus and his strong community — believers and the limb loss community — who rallied around him in the healing journey, those days, weeks, and months after his limb loss would have looked drastically different. “Community has been EVERYTHING to me in my limb loss journey. But more importantly, my community of believers has transformed my faith journey. I had people who love me reinforce that I am Complete-IN-Christ. It really did help me overcome that challenge. Even the day after my amputation, I had countless people in the limb loss and limb difference [community] pour their love, support, and knowledge onto me. I know that because of God’s grace, mercy, and the collaborative nature of ALL my communities that I am able to live the life I do today.” Having experienced the power of this firsthand, Cam felt called to begin mentoring and coming alongside individuals fighting disease, Lymphedema, or journeying through limb loss.
Because of his relationships within the limb loss community, Cam came to meet Chris Rains, a 3x Forge Retreat attendee at the time. When interviewing Chris on his podcast “Above & Below” in 2023, Cam heard about the retreat for the first time. Fast forward one year, Cam found himself in a wetsuit in the Pacific Ocean, relying on his favorite mantra “Faith Over Fear” to face his fear of the sea and sharks, and learning how to adaptive surf at the 2024 Forge Men’s Retreat. Never had he imagined he’d overcome that fear, stand up on a surfboard and catch a wave as a leg amputee, let alone do CrossFit, jiu jitsu, and wakesurfing as well. “But God did,” Cam said.
But that wasn’t all God had in store for Cam. Little did he know, God brought him to the Forge to bless him with something he didn’t even realize how much he needed — a community of men who were not only brothers in Christ, but brothers in limb difference as well.
“The Forge Retreat allowed me to experience the body of Christ in a way in which I had not experienced since my limb loss journey began. My favorite moment was when one of the brothers opened up about his past, his doubts, and his fears. By the end of his testimony, we all embraced him with tears, hugs, prayer, and encouragement. That’s what discipleship is all about. Healing happened in that moment, and not just for my brother, but for me as well. I now have a band of brothers that I can call or text anytime. There are not just my brothers-in-Christ, but brothers who are also living with limb loss/limb difference who understand me in ways in which no other Christian brothers have ever been able to.”
Knowing this group of men opened the door for complete vulnerability. It created space for all to bring 100% of themselves to the table, to be raw and honest about struggles as men and as men journeying through limb loss. Because of that, the healing and relationships formed were nothing like Cam had known before — he found a band of brothers he’ll have for life.
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