Welcome to your new life Mercy: Four-year-old pictured with new sister Lourdes for the the first time
Welcome to your new life Mercy: Four-year-old pictured with new sister Lourdes for the the first time
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:48 AM on 01st April 2009
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Madonna has hit back at criticism of her plans to adopt Malawian orphan Mercy James, insisting she had followed all the 'standard procedures' required.
Her defensive statement comes after the singer was photographed with the little girl for the first time during a walk in the grounds of the Home of Hope orphanage in Mchinji.
The four-year-old is seen looking anxiously at the cameraman as she holds the hand of her new 'sister' Lourdes, with her future mother standing just inches away dressed in a T-shirt, sarong and panama hat.
New recruit: Mercy James snatches glimpse of camera as she holds hands with Lourdes. Madonna, far right, says her desire to adopt her is 'heartfelt'
Madonna and her three children Lourdes, Rocco and Malawi-born David have been in the impoverished southern African country since Sunday.
The Material Girl appeared in court on Monday in her bid to convince judges of her suitability to adopt Mercy, whose 18-year-old mother died five days after giving birth to her, and is expecting to hear the ruling on the matter on Friday.
Her plan to adopt Mercy has been met with a storm of controversy, just as her adoption of David, whose father Yohane Banda is still alive, did in October 2006.
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The 50-year-old's current visit to Malawi also marks the first time her three-year-old has met his biological father Yohane for two and a half years, despite Madonna's vow for him to keep in touch with his Malawian roots.
The singer has been accused of using her fame to speed up the legal process and bending the country's fuzzy adoption laws to her advantage.
In a statement by Madonna's spokesperson Liz Rosenberg last night, however, she said: 'Madonna is committed to maintaining an ongoing relationship with David's Malawian roots.
Special visit: Madonna, pictured on Monday with son David and daughter Lourdes, arranged for the toddler to spend time with his biological father
'The adoption process for Mercy began over a year ago when Madonna met her on one of her visits to Malawi. The connection was instant and profound.
'Madonna's desire to adopt Mercy is totally heartfelt.
'She is not skirting any legal issues in her application to adopt this child and is looking to provide a loving family environment and the best education and health care possible for a child who has been in an orphanage since her birth.'
'Madonna is currently awaiting a judge's ruling regarding the adoption of Mercy James. She is following all standard procedures that are required and is waiting for the judge to hopefully grant adoption by Friday.'
After re-introducing David to his biological father at a luxury lodge on Monday, Madonna took her three children to see the Home of Hope orphanage, where her adoptive son lived before joining her family.
Orphanage's director Lucy Chipeta brought Madonna, Lourdes, Rocco and David to see the room and crib that he had used.
Chipeta said: 'It was an emotional moment. I am happy she brought her other children to see his roots.'
Madonna apologised to the children at the orphanage when they asked David 'Muli cwanji?', which means 'how are you?', explaining he only spoke English.
The singer promised her whole family would be able to speak Chichewa the next time they visited Malawi.
Expanding her brood: Madonna, pictured with eldest son Rocco, hopes Mercy James will bring balance to her family of three
Madonna's attempts to adopt Mercy have been met with fierce opposition by human rights groups and children's charities.
Some of the groups have appealed for Madonna to donate money to Mercy's surviving family - her poverty-stricken uncles Peter Baneti and John Ngalande and grandmother Lucy Chekechiwa - so they can care for Mercy themselves.
A coalition of non-governmental organisation Human Rights Consultative Committee said Madonna's adoption of Mercy should only be a last resort for the child and her family should be assisted in caring for the tot.
Save the Children spokesman Dominic Nutt said: ‘It is vital, we say, that children should be cared for in their own environment by their own community, ideally by their own family.
'The thing to do is to support the community, the local agencies and the charities who can look after the child.’
Madonna may also face legal challenges over her new status as a single mother following her recent divorce from Guy Ritchie.
Over the weekend, Mercy's uncle Peter, a subsistence fisherman, said the orphanage had been persuading his family to allow Mercy's adoption for over a year.
He said: 'We never wanted to let Mercy go. She is part of our extended family and our culture.
‘My mother, my brother and I all said no three times to the orphanage, which was pressing us on Madonna’s behalf.
'Now we have been persuaded that Mercy can have a better, healthier life somewhere else in the world with this rich white woman.'
He said the director of the orphanage had told them that Mercy would have a good education and come back to Malawi to support her family once she was a doctor
or lawyer.
Peter said: ‘That is a very nice idea but we don’t know if it is true that we can ever see her again. We could never afford to go to America or England. We would have to believe the promises of this white woman.’
Welcome to your new life Mercy: Four-year-old pictured with new sister Lourdes for the the first time
By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 11:48 AM on 01st April 2009
Comments (48)
Add to My Stories
Madonna has hit back at criticism of her plans to adopt Malawian orphan Mercy James, insisting she had followed all the 'standard procedures' required.
Her defensive statement comes after the singer was photographed with the little girl for the first time during a walk in the grounds of the Home of Hope orphanage in Mchinji.
The four-year-old is seen looking anxiously at the cameraman as she holds the hand of her new 'sister' Lourdes, with her future mother standing just inches away dressed in a T-shirt, sarong and panama hat.
New recruit: Mercy James snatches glimpse of camera as she holds hands with Lourdes. Madonna, far right, says her desire to adopt her is 'heartfelt'
Madonna and her three children Lourdes, Rocco and Malawi-born David have been in the impoverished southern African country since Sunday.
The Material Girl appeared in court on Monday in her bid to convince judges of her suitability to adopt Mercy, whose 18-year-old mother died five days after giving birth to her, and is expecting to hear the ruling on the matter on Friday.
Her plan to adopt Mercy has been met with a storm of controversy, just as her adoption of David, whose father Yohane Banda is still alive, did in October 2006.
More...
ALLISON PEARSON: Sorry, but I was fooled by selfish Madonna
Is he really my daddy, Madonna? Star takes David to meet his real father... but he doesn't recognise him
Guy Ritchie treats his lawyer to lavish dinner after finalising divorce from Madonna
Madonna the manipulator: Unease grows over singer's ruthless tactics in adopting a second African child
The 50-year-old's current visit to Malawi also marks the first time her three-year-old has met his biological father Yohane for two and a half years, despite Madonna's vow for him to keep in touch with his Malawian roots.
The singer has been accused of using her fame to speed up the legal process and bending the country's fuzzy adoption laws to her advantage.
In a statement by Madonna's spokesperson Liz Rosenberg last night, however, she said: 'Madonna is committed to maintaining an ongoing relationship with David's Malawian roots.
Special visit: Madonna, pictured on Monday with son David and daughter Lourdes, arranged for the toddler to spend time with his biological father
'The adoption process for Mercy began over a year ago when Madonna met her on one of her visits to Malawi. The connection was instant and profound.
'Madonna's desire to adopt Mercy is totally heartfelt.
'She is not skirting any legal issues in her application to adopt this child and is looking to provide a loving family environment and the best education and health care possible for a child who has been in an orphanage since her birth.'
'Madonna is currently awaiting a judge's ruling regarding the adoption of Mercy James. She is following all standard procedures that are required and is waiting for the judge to hopefully grant adoption by Friday.'
After re-introducing David to his biological father at a luxury lodge on Monday, Madonna took her three children to see the Home of Hope orphanage, where her adoptive son lived before joining her family.
Orphanage's director Lucy Chipeta brought Madonna, Lourdes, Rocco and David to see the room and crib that he had used.
Chipeta said: 'It was an emotional moment. I am happy she brought her other children to see his roots.'
Madonna apologised to the children at the orphanage when they asked David 'Muli cwanji?', which means 'how are you?', explaining he only spoke English.
The singer promised her whole family would be able to speak Chichewa the next time they visited Malawi.
Expanding her brood: Madonna, pictured with eldest son Rocco, hopes Mercy James will bring balance to her family of three
Madonna's attempts to adopt Mercy have been met with fierce opposition by human rights groups and children's charities.
Some of the groups have appealed for Madonna to donate money to Mercy's surviving family - her poverty-stricken uncles Peter Baneti and John Ngalande and grandmother Lucy Chekechiwa - so they can care for Mercy themselves.
A coalition of non-governmental organisation Human Rights Consultative Committee said Madonna's adoption of Mercy should only be a last resort for the child and her family should be assisted in caring for the tot.
Save the Children spokesman Dominic Nutt said: ‘It is vital, we say, that children should be cared for in their own environment by their own community, ideally by their own family.
'The thing to do is to support the community, the local agencies and the charities who can look after the child.’
Madonna may also face legal challenges over her new status as a single mother following her recent divorce from Guy Ritchie.
Over the weekend, Mercy's uncle Peter, a subsistence fisherman, said the orphanage had been persuading his family to allow Mercy's adoption for over a year.
He said: 'We never wanted to let Mercy go. She is part of our extended family and our culture.
‘My mother, my brother and I all said no three times to the orphanage, which was pressing us on Madonna’s behalf.
'Now we have been persuaded that Mercy can have a better, healthier life somewhere else in the world with this rich white woman.'
He said the director of the orphanage had told them that Mercy would have a good education and come back to Malawi to support her family once she was a doctor
or lawyer.
Peter said: ‘That is a very nice idea but we don’t know if it is true that we can ever see her again. We could never afford to go to America or England. We would have to believe the promises of this white woman.’
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1166274/Welcome-new-life-Mercy-Four-year-old-pictured-new-sister-Lourdes-the-time.html