Madonna Leaves Malawi
Madonna’s week-long visit to Malawi has come to end as we learn that Madge packed up her children Lourdes Maria, Rocco John and David Banda and returned home to NYC earlier today after she was denied her bid to adopt her second child from Malawi. As we learned on Friday, the Malawian court charged with overseeing her proposed adoption case of 3-year old Chifundo Mercy James denied Madonna’s bid to adopt the little girl citing a residency requirement that insists that proposed parents live in Malawi for 18-24 months before they can be approved. Altho Madonna is appealing that denial and she extended her stay in Malawi for a bit longer than was previously reported, she no longer feels that it is necessary for her to remain in the country and has already left for home:
Madonna left Malawi early Sunday after her failed adoption bid for a 3-year-old girl named Mercy James, who was preparing to return to the orphanage where the singer found her. Madonna’s plans received a massive setback Friday when a judge rejected her bid to adopt. The singer, 50, has since filed an appeal against the ruling. “We are ready with our grounds challenging [High Court judge] Chombo’s ruling,” Madonna’s Malawian lawyer Alan Chinula told PEOPLE Sunday. A staffer at the singer’s Raising Malawi charity said Anne Chikhwaza, Director of the Kondanani Children’s Village, drove to Kumbali Lodge, where the singer had been staying, Sunday morning to collect Mercy to take her back to the orphanage. “Madonna spent some time with Mercy; she looked sad but Lourdes, who had clicked with the little girl, looked devastated,” said the staffer. Madonna is believed to be headed for London to celebrate Passover, which would allow her children to reunite with the singer’s ex-husband, Guy Ritchie. Ritchie, for his part, has shown his support for Madonna, issuing a statement Friday following the singer’s adoption setback praising her as a mother and showing his heartfelt support in her adoption case.
While Madge may be heartbroken and chagrined, I’m convinced that this is not the end of her attempt to adopt little Mercy James. The question becomes, tho, just how hard and long will she continue the fight if her appeal is denied? I can understand her need to follow thru in her attempt to adopt the little girl that she loves but does it make sense for her to wage a battle that seems so unpopular with everyone else? The thing that bothers me most is that this poor little girl who has been living in an orphanage for the first 3 years of her life is caught in the middle. There is so much outcry that she is being “stolen away” from her family but if they really could care for her then she wouldn’t be in an orphanage. I will not believe that life in an orphanage is better than life in a home with a family. The saddest thing about this whole scenario to me is that Mercy will continue to live in an orphanage until this matter is settled once and for all. If Madonna is now allowed to adopt her, who will? The whole thing is just sad. I just hope that in the end, there will be a happy ending for all involved.
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April 5th, 2009 at 9:39 am
I don’t understand why this “residency requirement” wasn’t an issue a few years ago when she adopted David Banda. Can anyone explain that to me?
April 5th, 2009 at 9:49 am
I wish wealthy people like Madonna would sponsor whole families in Malawi, so that they can stay together and not have to surrender their kids to orphanages. The majority are in orphanages simply because of financial poverty and no food, not because both parents are dead or the child is somehow at risk staying with the family … Celebrities adopting a few kids here and there, is not dealing with the real problem.
April 5th, 2009 at 9:50 am
@Sassy K — I totally agree, the same residency requirement was in place when she adopted David from the very same orphanage. To be honest, it sounds to me more like some officials are lookin’ to make a name for themselves by being the ones to turn down Madonna
April 5th, 2009 at 10:11 am
Unlike Western countries, African countries have a very strong community relations so even if a child doesnt have the model parental backgroud, the villages tend to come together to raise their children. You have a very naive outlook to this.
Sorry Trent, but whereas i agree that a stable home is better than an orphanage, i also think that you have a very romanticised image of adoption.
Think of it this way – if someone from antartica came down to the US for a week to adopt a child in the name of giving them a ‘better life’, are you saying you would approve of handing the child over, simply on the basis of a couple of cleared police checks? In David’s case, Madonna DID use your her fame to bypass these extensive checks and children’s rights groups were right to protest.
If you read the official statement, they are absolutely right to reject the adoption bid. Right now they are legally responsible for the welfare of opphaned children and they must follow through all legal procedures.
April 5th, 2009 at 10:12 am
The residency requirement was waived for her in the case of David. She is actually the only individual the government of Malawi has ever waived it for which caused an international uproar at the time because individuals and organizations felt that she had received special treatment because of her fame and money. No one wanted to open that can of worms again is my guess.
April 5th, 2009 at 10:13 am
Sassy K – There was no legal framework in place for this kind of adoption (when Madonna adopted David) … They were taken by surprise and had to make most of the legal rules, after the fact. Remember Madonna was assessed by adoption officials well after she returned to Britain with David … The adoption rules they have created actually have nothing to do with Madonna, but have been put in place to stop the very real threat of child abusers/ traffickers coming into Malawi.
April 5th, 2009 at 10:18 am
also – weren’t they really upset by madonna’s adoption of david?
April 5th, 2009 at 10:31 am
@Bald Outing
Extremely upset, even David’s father protested the adoption at first. I did not support her adoption of Mercy for reason beyond the issues in Malawi.
April 5th, 2009 at 10:46 am
@Joanne — you make a good point. In the end, there is no easy fix-all answer for any of this :(
April 5th, 2009 at 11:01 am
If Madonna really loved the child, she would donate money to mercys family so they could raise her. It would be a small amount for madonna, but that way Mercy would get out of the orphange and no laws are bent. Plus, I have my doubts how much Madonna would raise the child, and how much the nannys would. If Madonna really wanted to adopt she would follow the laws, be it in america or otherwise and do the same as any american wanting to adopt.
April 5th, 2009 at 11:03 am
I don’t like this chikadie AT ALL! But i think the judge should have given her the kid. The old judge was nicer and willing to bend the rules of adoption for her son david. The new judge didn’t overlook this “problem” if you will call it that. If she wants a baby from that er country im guessing i think she should get it.
April 5th, 2009 at 11:12 am
The human trafficking issue seems like another excuse to me…they determine these adoptions with thorough investigations on a case-by-case basis. You think if they gave an exception to Madonna any Joe pimp will be able to come by with his millions and be handed an orphan? They’re gonna follow up with the family for a long time after the child is adopted. We’re not part of these social services yet we can see that David is being clothed, fed, cared for etc.
And yes it would be nice if Madonna could support the entire country and have every child there be able to stay with their family but the reality is, she’s a mom who yearns to save one child under her own care. Come to think of it, forget saving a child in Africa, maybe she should stick to the american way…invitro to her heart’s desire a la Octomom.
April 5th, 2009 at 11:51 am
Obviously it can be handled in a case by case scenario, so to paint all applicants with one brush stroke, loving know adoptive parents lumped in with child molesting and trafficking is a grave mistake.
Stop telling Madonna ” why not just give your money to the families and help them support their kids” First off why people feel they have the right to tell people what to do with their hard earned money is beyond me. Most people dont even give the beggers on the side of the road in America a second look. So get over your self rightous bullshitters.
How do you know what the people would use the money for once in their hands, if youve seen the documentary you see men begging for money in the streets of Malawi to go get more drunk while their family suffers at home, or do drugs, or have affairs. Or get second wives and more kids. So dont tell Madonna to give strangers her money.
Malawi has made a big mistake in doing this to Madonna. They want to give this woman a big slap in the face who was their biggest ally, just cause they now have the world media, and all kinds of attention going their way, will see what kind of lasting ramifications and unattended consequences they now have for doing this to a friend they had in Madonna.
I feel worst for all those children and women suffering cause they will no longer have Madonnas hope, drive, ambition, optimism, help, resources to help their kids.
Garruntee you, A Big Mistake. Now that she left I bet their are left with a bad hangover. They didnt appreciate what they had when they had it.
April 5th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
In all the postings about Madonna’s attempt to adopt Mercy, here’s something I haven’t seen addressed: studies have shown that children whose adopted families are of a different race/ethnicity can have problems as they grow up and realize they’re different. However, this issue can be alleviated, at least partially, if the adopted parents adopt other children of the same (of similar) race or at least try to make sure they have available role models of their same race. Basically, what I’m saying is that it would probably be in David’s best interest if he were to have a sibling from Malawi. I understand that Madonna should have to follow the same rules as everyone else but you would think that if they let her adopt one child from Malawi and she’s proven to be a good parent to him she should be allowed to adopt another child.
April 5th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
I agree that he should eventually have a sibling from a similar background it’s just that this adoption seemed impulsive in my opinion. Just a few weeks ago we were commenting on her dating a post-adolescent and breaking-up with him.
April 5th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
…Being adopted overseas and looking like no one in your family can be an issue (I was adopted over from Korea) but trust me… we’re fine. We all go through identity issues, but who doesn’t? But that is not the issue…
the issue is the law. Yes, there are thousands of children that need homes and I agree that a family is better then orphanages. I am living proof. I have worked in many 3rd world orphanages and the need of adoption is great! What we cannot do is use fame to bypass the laws set in place for specific reasons. I have a friend who wanted to adopt a Cambodian child. The same residency law is placed in Cambodia as well (it was set up a few years ago). But she feel in love and just knew that that little girl was going to be her baby. She is living there currently for 2 years to abide by the laws required to grant her adoption. When you truly know that a child is to be yours you’d do anything. I know that my mother and father would have in a minute if that was what was required to get me. There are MANY families trying to adopt children overseas and abiding by the law and it should be no different for celebs
April 5th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Africa is not a fucking pet shop/spca. You don’t just pick up babies from a country and culture you know nothing about to play with like new puppies. There are structural reasons why so many Malawians live in poverty. A lot of it has to do with a legacy of colonialism and oppression, exploitation and extraction. For years, white people have gone to Africa, stolen the people, the land and the resources under the guise of enlightenment. Fuck this, you want to do something good for Malawi, open an African history book, learn something and educate the people of the U.S. about Americans’ role in perpetuating and accelerating African underdevelopment and what they can due to improve the situation. To assume that Madonna will give the kid a better life just because she has money is the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard. We’ve all heard the stories of uber rich kids (Paris, Nicole) getting into drugs and reckless behaviour because they were bored and unsupervised. I am not going to romanticize poverty, but family is more than just the nuclear unit, it’s community.
April 5th, 2009 at 1:34 pm
David was in the orphanage because his Dad has asked for help, he said that he couldn’t take care of him and his late wife’s family wouldn’t help, however, for some reason David was to be returned to his dad after 6 months. So rather then release him to his dad who was openly stating that he couldn’t take care of him, they allowed him to be adopted by Madonna.
With Mercy it’s different, she is doing OK at the orphanage and isn’t about to get kicked out.
If this is the case, why doesn’t she adopt one of the other at risk kids who are about to loose their place at an orphanage, why does it have to be the cute kids that get saved.
April 5th, 2009 at 8:29 pm
for once, i have read some very intelligent responses to an article relating to Madonnas attempt at adopting a 2nd child. Its a welcome relief! I’m usually having to skip through all the personal attacks and insults thrown her way unfairly by a bunch of nobodys but this is interesting.
in the end, the child mercy, will suffer. she had all the riches in the world at her feet for just a moment and now its been taken away from her by j power tripping judge. now madonna is left without a little sister for her son, who would closely identify with her and not feel like an outsider.
instead we are told about excuses that this would promote trafficking of childern when we know that its a case by case basis.
also, let me remind everyone that tis was not an IMPULSE on madonnas part to adopt mercy this past week. she wanted to adopt mercy for close to two years, the same time that she saw david. however, she had to wait since she was being monitored to see if she was a fit parent. all tests were pasted and now this.
its a shame for that poor kid,
April 5th, 2009 at 10:21 pm
But living with Madonna isn’t a NORMAL life. NORMAL kids don’t get photographed everyday walking with their parents. Maybe this is for the best. Who knows what kind of trouble all the money and power of being Madonna’s kid could lead to? (this goes to David Banda and the Jolie-Pitt clan too)
April 6th, 2009 at 1:08 am
Normal is different for everyone…for example, I wouldn’t consider living in an orphanage with little to eat and no one to call a mother “normal.” My concern is this child’s safety and the opportunities she can have as a female living in a 3rd world country versus a child that will have every opportunity at her fingertips. Sure there’s a chance she could go the Nicole Ritchie route but there’s an even bigger chance she will receive little education, be sexually abused and/or have offspring that are also likely to get lost in that cycle.
There is the law and then there’s the human perspective we need to take with these situations. Personally if this were my daughter, I’d take my chances having her raised with Madge and 3 nannies over an orphanage where there’s probably 1 person in charge of a hundred or more kids.
April 6th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
@ Angry Black Woman: Right on. :)