Lalo thanks the Virgin because he got tits.

May 2000, we went through the desert with the only dream to get to USA and to make some money. On the fourth day, we understood that we were lost. We had no food, no water. We felt that death was near, and we began to pray the Virgin of Guadalupe to save us from dying like dogs, far away from our beautiful and beloved Mexico. We read Our Father and went to sleep. We were saved by a local who took us to Nogales, where the border is. We had no money, but we were alive. May you be blessed, Virgin! And to all Mexicans I want to say this: think before you go across the border because there is nothing better than our Mexico. Two chilangos are telling you.

I had to win a bicycle race so I could marry Lupita with the prize money. But my bike was stolen, and everything seemed lost. WIth a wonderful miracle by the Virgin of Guadalupe I got my bike back. An angel brought it back to me. I couldn’t finish at the first place but the third. But it’s also good, and I’m going to get married.

I enjoy cooking very much. I think that’s why my food taste so good—I make it with all my love. My cooking is so good that even the angels come over to my kitchen to eat something. I thank the Virgin of Guadalupe for giving me such passion and this wonderful gift.

I fell of the stairs. I thank the Virgin for I didn’t hurt myself and didn’t smash my cat who was sitting down the stairs.

February 19, 1969

A devil took possession of my jewelry box and my mirror. He spent hours in front of the mirror trying out my necklace and chains. I was afraid to put them on afterwards and prayed the Virgin <. . .>

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 cow Luisa wouldn’t leave the tracks, and the train was closer and closer. Only a miracle could save her. I prayed the Virgin of Guadalupe, and she made the miracle. Luisa saw opuntia prickly pears and went to eat them.

One mermaid had an idea to get into my boat. The first time, I was fascinated with her beauty, but then she began to return all my fish back to the sea. I didn’t like that, I was working hard to catch all this fish, and the mermaid was undoing my work. I prayed the Virgin because it didn’t matter if I changed my way, the mermaid always found me. Thanks to the Virgin of Guadalupe the mermaid finally left me and went to bother Carlos Medina who had a bigger boat than mine and used to catch more fish.

A giant snail wanted to get into my house, and my Holy Virgin helped me so it went away.

To the Holy Virgin of Guadalupe and to Saint Jude Thaddeus I offer this retablo so that they would help and protect the scavengers from the Bordo de Xochiaca dump where they bring waste and garbage from all over my city, the biggest in the world. In order to survive, they earn their living with dignity. I understood there’s no undignified job but undignified people. Remember that.

Alfredo Vilchis Roque
Corner of the miracles, Minas de Cristo
Mexico City — September 24, 2009

The pre-hispanic dancers Casimiro and Pancracio Perez dedicate this humble retablo to the Brown-skin girl from Tepeyac, Our Lady of Guadalupe for granting them health to be able to express their faith and visit her in her Basilica every December 12.

Mexico City

We thank the Virgin of Guadalupe because we sold our crop by a good price. With the money, we bought a cow and three pigs. We’ll began to breed pigs and we’ll have fresh milk for our children because they need it. We offer this retablo for helping us.