My sister and I went to the desert to pick peyote because our grandfather wanted to do his ceremony but his rheumatism didn’t let him walk. We picked a full basket of peyote but then we couldn’t find the way back. Night fell, and we were tired and scared. I invoked the Holy Heart, and that moment a deer appeared. He was shining in the darkness, and we followed him, and he led us to the road to our house. We thank for this light creature that saved us.

Señor Luis Chavez went out and couldn’t remember where he lived. He thanks the Virgin of Guadalupe with the present retablo because he was found and now is back to his family.

Two nights ago I was looking for my lost cow, when the Ghost from Sayula appeared. It wanted to take me taking advantage of the moment when I had to do my business. It promised me a good reward. Being under such a pressure, I implored the Virgin of San Juan who helped me to escape well from this horror. This retablo is in gratitude.

Tito Martinez
Mexico, 2018

Camila Garcia was ordered to prepare a mole, but her kiddo lost two turkeys. She thanks Saint Paschal Baylon with this retablo for the turkeys were found, although she isn’t sure they are the ones.

Señor Paulino Sanchez thanks the Holy Child of Atocha. I found my son Felipe who got lost with the sheep in the mountains. I prayed to you to help me find him safe. Now, after having found him, I’m offering this retablo.

October 23, 1940

We went to spend some time in my husband’s rancho near Catemaco. The place is beautiful but little bit wild. One day my parrot—which was a gift from my husband—escaped, and I ran for him through the forest. The parrot was flying among other parrots, and I followed it carrying my baby so I was going slower and slower. Finally I caught the parrot. That moment I realized that we were lost. I was scared and asked the Virgin for help. She sent a group of monkeys. They were making a lot of noise but guided us to the house. I thank for this miracle.

My son and I were going from town to town with our donkey selling oranges. One day we decided to take a cut through the desert and got lost. The sun was going down, and we heard hungry coyotes howling. I prayed the Virgin of Zapopan, and suddenly a bird of golden light appeared from the twilight. It guided us to the road to Fresnillo. I infinitely thank for this miracle that saved our lives.

My son Jesus lost in the mountains with the donkeys. My daughters and I are thankful to the Virgin of San Juan because four days later, after many our prayers, Jesus found his way back home. A beam of light guided him out and he returned safe and sound as well as his donkeys.

My cats are my family and my friends. When I was moving in another house, they got lost on the way there. I don’t know how it happened. I was disconsolate. But don Pascual found them all, because they came back to the old house. I thank for that miracle because my old house was pretty far away.

I thank the Virgin of San Juan because my faithful dog led me to my best cows that had got lost. We were afraid they had been stolen, but they were calmly grazing eating grass.

On a picnic, my daughter followed some butterflies and went far away from us. We were playing and didn’t notice that she wasn’t there. She didn’t know how to return and got very scared. Instead of going back she walked far away. Then she asked the Holy Spirit for help. That moment, a light breeze came up and the seeds of the dandelion that she was holding in her hand flew away. She followed them, and they brought her to where we were searching her.

We offer this retablo thanking Saint Francis for the miracle of finding that spoiled bull of our master so we won’t be kicked out of the hacienda. We are very grateful.

Julia and her son Bernave, 1949

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.