GRANTS, N.M. (KRQE) – There’s a peacefulness as wind chimes sing through a quiet street in Grants. But inside the Rodriguez’s home on Jackson Avenue, they’re feeling uneasy.
“It’s just like something’s been taken away from us, something very personal,” said Viola Rodriguez.
The woman who’s lived in Grants most of her life said she and her husband are devout Catholics. He wears across around his neck, and their faith is clearly displayed around their home.
“We also have the Ten Commandments over here,” said Rodriguez as she walked around her home.
Even on their front porch, they display their dedication to their religion. They’ve placed a replacement crucifix on their front porch where the original one they had vanished several weeks ago.
“We’d had that cross for like, 15 years, you know we were pretty attached to it,” said Rodriguez.
The only thing they have left of the cross is a photograph. They bought it from a Native American artist while they were at a restaurant.
“It was made out of like, tree limbs and it was vintage somehow,” she said.
The cross also had a rosary hanging from Jesus’ neck. “We felt like he was guarding our house, and our family,” said Rodriguez, who feels the thieves took that sense of security away.
“As time went by, a couple of days, I started feeling like I wasn’t safe anymore,” said Rodriguez.
At first, she said she was angry that the crucifix was gone, but now, she finds the whole situation strange.
“I can’t understand people that would actually come and take something like that,” said Rodriguez.
Although she knows they’ll likely never get their crucifix back, she hopes it’s in good hands and at least,”somebody that will care for it and will probably eventually have the same feelings that we have for it.”
