To further expound upon my previous point, the book states that Curanderos often receive their "don" during a time of illness or an accident. They are often unconscious and receive a vision. Both Urrea and Jaramillo having similar experiences sounds more common among the people with the gift. #Hist416

Don Pedrito Jaramillo receiving his "don" is similar to Urrea because they were both in a state of desperation. During this time, they both received a vision and committed to seeing that vision through. They both certainly had deep convictions and a burden to follow through with what they felt they were being told to do. #Hist416

The old advertisements are beautiful and haunting to me. There is something pure yet sensationalized about it all. #Hist416

Living so close to Nogales, AZ and El Paso, TX, makes these stories really come alive. Stories about Urrea being kicked out of Mexico and into the U.S. Ending up in these two communities and continuing to heal people. Hundreds and thousands would cross the border just to be healed by her. The book states that before 1924, it was easy to go back and forth across the border. #Hist416

Urrea's reach was very far, wide, and diverse. Not only did she attract Indigenous tribes, she also attracted people such as Spiritists. She must have had quite the impact for so many people of different beliefs to be drawn to her and believe in her healing powers. #Hist416

Semen's attention to the fact that Urrea was adhering to some gender normative roles by healing others (nurturing and care-taking), she was also going against a patriarchal society by challenging priests and healing in the open. She was not hiding or healing discreetly, but rather loudly. The accounts of stories told about her in newspapers tell us just that. #Hist416

It is wild to think about hundreds, if not sometimes thousands, of people coming into a small rural town just to see Urrea. Especially at the the time, when things like transportation were more challenging, it must have been a hardship for people to reach her, at times. She was mainly attracting the sick and poor, which brings even more challenges at times. #Hist416

The Yaqui tribe's beliefs, intertwining Jesus as healer into their pre-exising beliefs, is a more flexible interpretation of Christianity. They said he showed up in their dreams to tell them how to heal people. This seems more pure in a way; to view Jesus as a healer rather than a character sometimes manipulated by the Catholic church. #Hist416

The book states that Teresa Urrea may or may not have been conceived out of rape. This is odd to me because her mother. Cayetana, was the daughter of a ranch hand who was employed by Don Tomás Urrea. Don Tomás impregnated Cayetana when she was only 14 years old. I understand the late 1800's were a different time, and cultures vary greatly with the age of consent. This and other details noted in the book make it hard for me to believe this was consensual and perhaps a scapegoat. #Hist416

Urrea eating dirt is fascinating to me. She healed herself and others with dirt and even her own saliva. Again, I am thinking of parallels between Urrea and other people in history and Christianity. This can directly reflect upon Jesus healing a blind man with dirt and spit. #Hist416