Father of Madonna's adopted son wishes star had not divorced

Father of Madonna's adopted son wishes star had not divorced
The biological father of Madonna's adopted son, David Banda, has said that he wishes the popstar had not divorced Guy Ritchie.

Last Updated: 8:19AM BST 31 Mar 2009

Madonna carries her adopted son David at the home of Hope orphanage in Mchinji village Photo: REUTERS
Yohane Banda, was briefly reunited with his son on Monday for the first time since he was adopted by the 50-year-old singer in 2006.
The peasant farmer met his son at a hotel in Malawi where David is staying with Madonna and her other children Rocco and Lourdes as she seeks to adopt a second child from the country.

Related Articles
·         Madonna adoption: Star's Chanel tracksuit raises eyebrows in Malawi
·         Madonna's wait for Malawian baby
·         Madonna in Malawi
·         Madonna awaits adoption ruling
·         Madonna adoption trip: David Banda reunited with father
·         Madonna divorce: adopted son David will be well looked after
He said he was "really grateful" to Madonna for saving the three-year-old's life but said he was saddened by news of her divorce from Ritchie, 40.
Mr Banda told the Daily Express: "He seems to like his daddy, Mr Ritchie, so much that I was a little sad Madonna broke up with him.
"I would have loved it if the sorted out whatever problems they had instead of divorcing because divorce is bad for kids."
Mr Banda lost two other sons before David was adopted from the Home of Hope orphanage, where he was taken when his mother died a week after he was born.
He added: "I was very happy to meet David again. He reminds me of the two sons I lost in infancy.
"I sometimes shudder to think that David could also have met the same fate had Madonna not adopted him. I am really grateful to her for saving David from possible early death."
David, who did not recognise his father and had to communicate with him through an interpreter, because he does not speak his native language, also gave his father an insight into his life with the celebrity couple.
Mr Banda said: "He asked me lots of questions about lots of things. he asked me whether I ride horses.
"I told him horses are for the rich and he asked me why I am poor.
"He told me his mum likes riding horses and that he too rides horses.
"Then he told me a story when one day he and his brother, Rocco, rode horses and fell.
"He told me mum plays music and asked me what I do for life.
"I told him I was a farmer. He asked what a farmer does and I explained to him that we use hoes to till the land.
"He told me his daddy, Mr Ritchie took him to a farm but it had tractor. I told him in Africa we use hoes."
Madonna is due back in a Malawian court on Friday to find out if she is allowed to adopt a second child.
On Monday she appeared before a High Court judge in the capital of Lilongwe to start the adoption process of Mercy James, three, whose teenage mum Mwandida Maunde died in 2006.
The hearing was adjourned for a ruling on whether to grant the star temporary adoption.