A few short weeks ago, I walked along the boardwalk beside Ecuador’s Guyas River and climbed the numbered steps of Llas Peñas or “the boulder.” In the 1600s, Llas Peñas was the heart of Guayaquil. At the top stands a fort, formerly used to deter pirates, and a lighthouse for trade ships. Along the way to the top I found countless cafes, bars, and souvenir shops. But in the midst of Guayaquil’s primary tourist attraction, locals abound. It’s almost as if the houses and businesses are stacked one on top of the other all the way to the top. When you look at it from a distance, all you see is a huge cluster of colorful buildings. They’re painted in varying shades of pinks, yellows, and bright blues; and as I climbed the 444 steps to the top, I trekked through the backyard of the Guayaquil people.

During my time in Guayaquil, I had the unique opportunity to step into someone else’s backyard. But instead of finding colorful homes and an endless array of stairs, Jose Salazar’s backyard was mostly dirt, with the beginnings of a garden. At first glance, this view would pale in comparison to that of Llas Peñas, but this is the view that has left a lasting impression on my life.

Ten years ago, Jose Salazar asked his wife Adriana if he could bring an elderly man home to live with them. Up until this point, both Jose and Adriana had been involved in ministering to the abandoned elderly living on the streets of Guayaquil, but never before had they invited someone into their home. Within a month’s time, the Salazars had taken seven elderly people off the streets and into their home. Today, the Salazars house 45 abandoned elderly people at the Fundacion Clemencia, where they provide residents with food, shelter, and a chance to hear the gospel. Although the ministry is completely faith-based, the residents have never gone without a meal. The Salazars have seen God’s daily provision first hand as they provide for the needs of all 45 residents without a budget.

When I asked Jose how his ministry began, he told me it began years ago with dreams of walking through a garden with elderly people. Though he didn’t fully understand them at the time, Jose is now watching those dreams come true. And as their dirt-covered backyard yields new growth, Jose and Adriana Salazar move one step closer to seeing their garden, and their dreams, become a reality.