My brother Eduardo Davila was working at a building construction and fell off the roof. I saw him falling and entrusted him to God to save his life, in spite of falling from up high. But he continued to fall and broke his neck and fell on the lady who was selling tacos, and she lost the use of her legs after the blow.

Gulliermo Davila, August 16, 1974

The nations of the world couldn’t reach an agreement in anything and they were threatening to go to war. All the peoples in the world were praying to their gods to guide them to the path of peace and to put down their arms, but it didn’t happen. And they launched nuclear bombs, and there was the end of the world. In testimony of such absence, I dedicate this retablo.

Andres Balabaquer, April 8, 2030

I was gravely ill with my liver, and I was in deadly danger. Then I implored the sky not to let me die and not to leave my poor children unprotected. But I got only worse, and then I died, and my husband went off with my cousin and didn’t want to have anything with my children. I leave this retablo as testimony.

Domitila Ochoa Razo, October 10, 1937

The factory near the village dumped the toxic wastes into the river, and the animals and fish were dying. All the village was at risk of dying of hunger. We prayed the saints to make the water clean as before. Then the factory grew and they paid the politicians not to impede toxic water dumping. Now no one can live there, not the animals, not the fish, nothing.

Angela Serrano, December 20, 1991