My life was tedious and my job was boring. But one day I was given a book. I liked it so much, I began to read more. Now I have wonderful dreams about fantasies and adventures. I thank the Virgin of the Rosary for discovering the wonderful world of books.

I was a horrible cook, and my mother used to say that nobody would ever marry me. But thanks to Saint Paschal I found a husband who loves cooking and do it very well. Cooking is his passion, and he prepares the most delicious dishes for me and our children. I thank Saint Paschal, the patron of the cooks.

My husband got a job in Veracruz, and we moved to live in a wild place full of various animals and rattlesnakes. But the worst were the monkeys. When they came down from the trees to drink water they stole laundry. I was desperate. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan because my husband got another job and we moved back to the civilization.

A mermaid fell in love with my Manuel. She was so jealous with me she grabbed my hair and tried to drown me taking to the bottom of the sea. I thank the Virgin of Zapopan because Manuel had enough strength to not let the mermaid take me and he saved me.

When my brother and I were coming back to the village, we were caught by hail storm. We thank the Blessed Sacrament for we didn’t get frozen, nor our donkeys, and for we got home.

May 13, 1962, the Rios Medina’s house got on fire. The family thanks the Virgin of San Juan for nobody was hurt and offer this retablo.

San Juan de los Lagos, Jalisco

A homeless dog always followed me wherever I went. Saint Francis made me feel pity for it, and I took the dog home. I washed and fed him. Now it’s a beautiful and groomed dog. I thank the saint because this dog gives me its love and keeps me a company.

My husband entered in the mid-life crisis. As much conservative he had been, he suddenly became a hippy. The worst part was that he left his office job and started to paint. He even painted our house in various colors. I prayed the Virgin of Guadalupe so that she would bring him back to his senses. But the Holy Virgin, in her infinite wisdom, made so that one gallery began to buy his paintings. Now they have bought all his works because it turned out he was really a good artists. I want also to thank the Virgin because he has repainted our house back in white.

My husband and I were spending a night in an inn in Guanajuato to celebrate our anniversary, and it happened that the Death appeared to us. We were very frightened and prayed to the Virgin of San Juan. The Death disappeared. We thank the Holy Virgin for this horrible apparition didn’t make a deadly omen to us because we were told in the town that this room was bewitched.

A crocodile got in the house, and I tried to chase him away with a broom. But my sister got a better idea of spraying insecticide in its snout. Because of the sound of the spray or just because of its bad taste—since some of it got in its mouth—but the crocodile decided to go away. We thank the Virgin of San Juan for the beast didn’t bite us.

In 20 years of me working as a teacher, the kids made me cry few times because of their bad behavior and indifference. But those sad moments are compensated when the kids show their love and compassion. It feels very nice to see that the efforts have given the results and the kids are learning and developing. I thank the Virgin for these very joyful moments.

My son Luis befriended the monkeys that were coming to our patio. He used to spend all day climbing up the trees with them and learning their skills and tricks. He refused to eat anything but fruits. But thanks to the Virgin of Zapopan he finally met other kids and eventually forgot about those damned monkeys when he began to go to the school.

When I put my daughter Rosita in a boarding school, she became a sleepwalker. She walked on the roof of the school. I was very much worried that my daughter was in such danger, so I took her back from the school. I prayed to the Virgin of Zapopan to cure her, and the Holy Virgin worked a miracle. My Rosita doesn’t walk in her sleep anymore. I give thanks.

Sandra Lopez, Corrales de Rios