The Santo Niño de Atocha medal and Virgen de Guadalupe prayer card are considered protectors.

“On a weekly basis, we probably get anywhere from 50 to 80 families who come in looking for herbs and amulets that will give protection to their loved ones,” said Alvarez, a cherubic 22-year-old who has worked in the store since she was in the seventh grade. “They want peace of mind.”

There are no statistics on how many military personnel employ the charms and folk magic of Mexico. But some simple math shows the potential base: There are 1,426,713 active-duty personnel in America’s military and another 1,259,000 in various Reserve units. The U.S. Department of Defense says Hispanics make up nearly 10 percent of the armed services.

Read more: The Denver Post