Caring for godchildren is a responsibility assumed by an increasing number of immigrant families in New York City, as the economic crisis compels parents to return to their native countries in search of work.

The Morales family, from the Mexican state of Puebla, is preparing for the arrival of their godchild, who will return from his father's native town, following the death of the father. He will live with them so that he can continue his studies in the United States, which he has the right to do as a U.S. citizen.

However, the challenge for this family is not only to provide the child with a place to live and watch over him – a responsibility they accepted in the case that boy should lose a parent – but to advocate for his well-being and future development.

"Not only is he coming to live with us in our home, but we have to be on the lookout for him. We have to make sure he studies and grows up into a nice young man," the family said, and added that they must also seek legal counsel on how to become the child's legal guardians, given that his entire immediate family has returned to Puebla.

A little help

The Morales family points out that, due to the economic crisis, many godparents are now caring for their godchildren, nieces, nephews or other relatives, who are left in a kind of limbo when Mexican families decide to return to their hometowns because they can't find work here, or because a family member dies.

"The crisis is forcing many families to leave while their children, who were born here, stay. The problem is that the children need to continue going to school and the parents want to leave because they can't find work to support the children. And that's where we, as godparents, come in to help," the family said. They added that although they aren't experiencing times of prosperity like they have in the past, they welcome with faith and hope the arrival of a new member into the family, a boy to whom they felt united from the moment they decided to become his godparents.