The Associated Press and People Magazine are now reporting that Madonna will return to Malawi to adopt another child. They claim that Madonna has already filed the papers, and an American government official has confirmed the adoption. Though neither source gives the child’s name, Madge has been trying to adopt a now four-year-old little girl named Mercy James for well over a year, but the girl’s living relatives have tried to block it.
Madonna recently gave an interview to Malawi’s Nation newspaper where she talked about her desire to adopt again, but said she hoped she would be able to do it with full governmental approval. Looks like she’s getting her wish.
Being a single mom isn’t keeping Madonna from expanding her family.
The singer, 50, is heading to Malawi where officials say she is planning to adopt a child, according to the Associated Press. Her son David Banda, 3, who is also from the Africa nation, will be joining her on the trip, according to Reuters.
Madonna has already filed adoption papers, and may even have her case heard as soon as Monday, reports the AP, which confirmed the adoption with a U.S. government official.
Madonna’s rep had no comment.
“Someone from [Madonna’s charity] Raising Malawi visited me last week and told me that my son may be visiting me sometime next week,” said David’s father, Yohane Banda, according to Reuters. “I am delighted, I want to see my son.”
In a recent interview with Malawi’s Nation newspaper, Madonna said adoption is “something I have been considering. But [I] would only do if I had the support of the Malawian people and the government.”
[From People Magazine]
Madonna gets criticized for a lot of things, much of it deserved, in my opinion. But even I have to admit she seems like a pretty good mother, albeit a mother who is probably too strict with the diet and the religion. And Lord knows how bad an example she’s setting for Lourdes by carrying on with Jesus Luz, but who knows? In any case, perhaps Madonna adopting another Malawian child isn’t such a bad thing.
Here’s Mercy James and her family. Images thanks to Fame Pictures . header photo of Madge at the Kabbalah Centre in New York City on March 7th. Image thanks to WENN .
Kaiser, no offense, but anyone that thinks Madge is a good mother needs some help. Can you imagine growing up in that dysfunctional household? Marlon Brando is saintly compared to Madge and see how his kids turned out? Sadly, time will tell what kind of parent Madge is. That will bear fruit when the children grow up, not being displayed as fashion accessories.
Right. But the alternative (malnutrition, dying of starvation, disease due to lack of potable water etc etc) is worse imo.
Yes. Madge is CRAZY.
But you know what? It seems to me that this child will receive a more fortunate life than it would otherwise.
Annie as much as I agree with you, I still think it’s terrible that she’s using her money to storm in to Malawi and take children without following the adoption laws in place. People like her are why more and more countries are closing international adoptions to the States.
Yeah, have to agree with Annie on this one.
But the child’s grandmother is against the adoption!! Sorry, where there’s a massive financial imbalance between the adopter and the adoptee’s family, this can’t be regarded as above board or legit.
I actually agree, kaiser, she has her faults but I think her kids have always been at the centre of her life. But this is just wrong wrong wrong.
I’m still pretty sure she shouldn’t be able to adopt because unless the law has changed, which I don’t think it has, foreigners aren’t allowed to adopt from Malawi. That’s why there was such a huge thing over David’s adoption – it was technically illegal.
And the kid has a living relative who wants her, she just can’t afford to raise her. But it’s all about what Madonna wants.
No big deal. The kid will have a lot better life than it would half starved in Malawi. I disagree that the kid is nothing more than an “accessory”.
Geronimo:
“But the child’s grandmother is against the adoption!! Sorry, where there’s a massive financial imbalance between the adopter and the adoptee’s family, this can’t be regarded as above board or legit.”
I was thinking the same things… But maybe – MAYBE – it could be possible that this child is an abused child or her grandmother disagrees with the adoption just for some sort of publicity, who knows…
Anyway, why don’t they adopt just orphans without relatives? It would be easier and more correct for child’s sake firstly.
I don’t know if Madonna is a good mother, but lourdes looks healthy and strong… Maybe Madonna is a good mother in a sort of control-freakish way.
In October 2006, Madonna adopted a young boy from Malawi, ignoring the law that required would-be parents to reside in Malawi for one year while also taking advantage of the boy’s biological father who didn’t understand what the English word “adoption” really meant.
@Heima – even if that were the case, the child still has living family who are against this. No doubt the child lives in poverty but she’s not an orphan in any meaningful sense. You have to question Madonna’s insistence on adopting children with living parents/close family. It just smacks of arrogance and too many years of ‘I want, I get’.
I think as long as you have the means and the capability of adopting and taking good care of a child then you should adopt – so it’s good that she’s adopting.
But what’s up with celebs only adopting from foreign countries? What’s wrong with the kids in orphanages here in the US?
You would think if she “loved” this child Mercy so much she would leave her in Malawi with some financial assistance and education plans in place instead of taking her from the family that loves her.
Update: People is now reporting that Madonna will be adopting a little girl.
http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20268120,00.html
Oops
*you should “be free to” adopt (even if you are Madonna-whom I despise)
“What’s wrong with the kids in orphanages here in the US”
The US has specific laws and regulations and the potential parents are scrutinized. To my knowledge they don’t kowtow to celebrities.
It’s the same reason Jolie had her child in Namibia; she could control the people coming on and out of the country. A lot of these countries are run by people with money and over there they’re pretty much the law. It’s all about ego and power.
So if you are poor and live in a third world country and some celebrity decides she wants to adopt your child or your grandchild, you just better suck it up? Because anything would be better than living with you?
I don’t know, that REALLY sucks rocks, I gotta say.
I thought it was sad to read that David Banda’s DAD is excited he MIGHT be able to see his son. What the heck, people?
If it were me, I wouldn’t feel comfortable with this unless the child was an orphan. And like someone said above, why not give money to help the child’s FAMILY and COMMUNITY so that she can stay there where she has family members and grow up healthy and happy?
Gah. Count me in the camp of people who DO think she’s doing this to have another child accessory. She doesn’t do much of the day-to-day parenting, that’s left to others to do, so why would she even want another child?
Oh and by the way, looks like she had some more facial work done. By the time she’s done, she’ll look like that Madame puppet from the 70s.
I think, if you have enough money, it seems you are above the law…She´s too old to adopt such a young child, isn´t she? And if her living relatives are against it, she should back off…
I agree with Kaiser that Madonna is a good mother. Mercy James is as cute as a button, too.
She’s a good mom.
And don’t forget: the kid was in an orphan,without his Dad.And don’t discount internal bribing and conspiracy going on,to try to get money out of Madonna! Corruption is rampant.
I’m not saying he doesn’t love his kid-but familial bonds are expressed differently in Africa,in my experiencing,having lived there for sometime.
Much of it does have to do with a very different relationship to clan,community,and life,with mortality rates so high and ‘I am because you Are’,tribal consciousness. [I’m not saying that is wrong,just pointing out a completely different orientation]. And alot of it has to do with poverty,as well.
But still,i would not be surprised if others had not also tried to manipulate David’s father to conspire against Madonna or anyone who has money and say in this situation.
You know what they say guys…Don’t assume,cuz,yes,it makes an ass out of you and me!
Nuclear or nucular(: families do not have the same sense of preciousness or entitlment in Africa as they do in the US/western countries/mindset. This is not,I repeat,NOT a criticism on my part,but an observation that is neutral,yet worth considering,IMO.
Love has many types of expression,not just the ones we are familiar with.
Do you recall the story by a native american woman,something to do with pocohantas in the title,about in one SW tribe’s community,uncle was far more important than father. In fact,father wasn’t even a factor-it was the mother’s brother who figured in. Father was unknown,not present and unimportant. Social workers were rushing in to pass psychological judgement and even remove children.
Yet,they had a highly functioning,functional,etc. community that worked. With children who were happy and loved,based upon their own community’s fabric of existence.
This is not a case of breakdown of family,but cultural differences.
And,I have no idea if Mercy will be better off rich or not…Yea,her odds of dying before adulthood may be lower once adopted,and she’ll have more opportunities. Who knows? It’s Madonna’s choice. And we should all maybe be looking to donate to an orphanage right now,instead of criticizing her for adopting another kid/toy or whatever you personally believe this means to Madonna.
I would think that it would be pretty hard to judge if she is a good mother or not.
She is known to be a psychotic control freak. That can’t be condusive to being an effective parent.
And really? These are our options? Being raised in a 3rd world country or having The Vadge as a mother?
There are vast numbers of children orphaned in Africa, for various reasons, one huge one being the AIDS epidemic there. Why not attempt to adopt a child who is actually an orphan?
Money talks loud and clear, doesn’t it? Let’s hope that money buys the best nanny to give this child a stable environment full of love.
10 bucks that Angelina tries to one up it.
Angelina can’t stand it that other people get some attention.
She is so competitive and territorial.
wow, look how that african woman is dressed. I’ve never seen clothes like that before. neato.
Ah, so she is stealing another accessory, huh?
All I can say is that this is proof positive that the Malawian gov’t is corrupt if they are willing to permit yet another one of their children be raised by this mental midget. She has no business raising the kids she actually gave birth to, much less other kids.
I just pray that she quickly loses interest in these kids and lets nannies raise them for her. Maybe if the nannies are not insane, the kids will have a chance.
Ned: 10 bucks that Angelina tries to one up it.
10 bucks you’ll try to wedge AJ into any topic, because you’re neurotic.
The majority of children in orphanages are NOT orphans – they have been abandoned by parents who either do not have the means to look after them / or choose not to.