Posted on 10/12/2006 11:29:04 PM PDT by MadIvan
A boy from an isolated village in Malawi's rugged bush was handed into the care of Madonna yesterday when a judge approved the pop star's adoption papers.
David Banda was born in a mud hut 18 months ago. His mother, Marita, gave birth without a nurse or medical equipment, save for a plastic sheet. She died days later.
The High Court in Malawi's capital, Lilongwe, plucked David from his home village of Lipunga, where children in rags play in the dust beside women pounding maize, and gave him a symbol of Western popular culture for a foster mother.
Mr Justice Andrew Nyirenda granted Madonna an "interim order" allowing her to take the boy into custody. Today David is expected to leave Malawi with Madonna and her husband, the British film director Guy Ritchie, for London where he will start a life with her other children, Lourdes, nine, and Rocco, six.
Madonna and Ritchie recently admitted having had marital problems and insiders have speculated that an addition to the family will give their rocky relationship a fresh start.
David's father, Yohame Banda, 32, met his son's prospective foster parents during the court proceedings. Afterwards, he told journalists that he was "happy" that David would escape Malawi's grinding poverty.
Mr Banda added that he knew little about the boy's foster mother. "I'm not aware of Madonna. I don't know her. All I know is that she'll give my son a better life," he said. Mr Banda spoke at his home Lipunga, 120 miles west of Lilongwe. The border with Zambia runs along a range of hills behind his village and its people walk into the neighbouring country at will. While Mr Banda is a Malawian, David was born in Zambia to a Zambian mother.
Mr Banda, who was abandoned by his own father as a boy, was raised by Lipunga's chief, Henderson Geza.
"A few days after giving birth, David's mother died," said Mr Geza, 69. "Because of our poverty, we were unable to support the child. So we decided to send him to an orphanage."
David entered Home of Hope orphanage, about 40 miles from Lipunga. Madonna arrived in Malawi last Wednesday to help charities serving children who lost their parents to Aids. She visited this orphanage last week.
A teacher at Home of Hope said Madonna met David last Friday. "She was carrying the baby. She was smiling and she was saying 'ah, beautiful'," he said.
Then Mr Banda was informed that an "American woman" would like to adopt his son. Mr Geza said: "He said, 'I gave my son to the orphanage because I could not take care of him, so I would like him to be adopted'. I said, 'If that is what you want then, as your chief and as your stepfather, I give you my permission'."
Mr Banda told the chief that she was a "respectable American lady". Madonna's name was unknown to them.
"We were very happy," said Mr Geza. "We read the Bible and we thought 'this is coming from God'."
Yet for almost 40 years, Malawian law has banned foreigners from adopting children. Section Three of the Children Adoption Act states that an "adoption order shall not be made" in favour of anyone residing outside the country.
In 1993, however, Malawi signed the International Convention on the Rights of the Child. This says under article 21 that "inter-country adoption may be considered".
The government has agreed in principle to amend the Adoption Act and bring it into line with the convention. In its ruling yesterday, the High Court appeared to give the convention precedence over Malawian law.
But the people of Lipunga care little for legal niceties and wish David well.
"Here we are poor and we don't have enough food," said his cousin, Alex Phiri, 17. "Now David can make a bright future."
Regards, Ivan
Ping!
These celebs are starting to adopt African babies like they're the new Paris Hilton-style handbag chihuahuas. I'm all for adoption, but this seems like more of a fad than an act of love.
um...i was just thinking...from a mud hut to a child of a sl..well...you know. she is pig.
Hardly.
I feel bad for that mud hut baby. I bet Madonna is an icky mom.
If the state were truly compassionate, it would return the mud hut baby to its mud hut. Nothing could be worse than being Madonna's kid.
She is pretty odd. Money is nice, but I would not like to be raised in a home like that.
"I feel bad for that mud hut baby. I bet Madonna is an icky mom."
Don't feel bad. He will be taken care of 99% of the time by the nanny. Besides it could have been worse -- he could have been adopted by Michael Jackson.
lol true. *shudder*
There's also this little matter that Mr. Madonna aka film-maker Guy Ritchie, is against this stunt.
He'll fit right in with the rest of the family.
I wonder what those kids are thinking?
It is the latest must have Hollywood accessory as Rush said the other day. (Not meant to offend , but just an astute observation on his part)
I don't.
Suit yourself. To me it indicates how the Hollywood folk are treating these kids like they're Cabbage Patch dolls.
Regards, Ivan
I don't see them adopting American disabled babies.
That would be nice.
So this lil guy is going to go from eating maize to eating tofu.
God Bless the lil bambino.
I hope Maddonna comes back to her Catholic Faith someday.
Yep.
I liked this part, too...
"We read the Bible and we thought 'this is coming from God'."
I am disappoited in you. Sorry...but this is the first time I have had a need to say this.
They don't know how lucky they are.
I saw a clip of her performing on stage in a white body suit and boy sure looked like she has an osteoperosis hump starting to grow between her shoulder blades.
Kinda creepy watching a old gal performin teeny bop pop.
Out of all the things to be disappointed in, this probably ranks as amongst the strangest. As I say, suit yourself.
Ivan
Um..riiiight
After Princess Diana died, I think Madonna fancied herself a princess and moved to England. Now Angelina Jolie has been adopting 3rd world kids left and right and Madonna can't be out done.
I am very happy to report that I haven't seen a Madonna video in 20 years.
Regards, Ivan
Oh yes, I forgot...'an artist's job is to disturb."- Babs
Thanks...sorry for my typo.
Regards.
I bet that hurt her ego.
Charlie Chaplin once said that he was known in parts of the world that had never heard of Jesus Christ. John Lennon said the Beatles were bigger than Jesus. Madonna thinks she's famous everywhere. I think they all forgot the line from the Bible, "Not me, but Christ in me, be magnified."
Love, Ivan
Everyone thought Joan Crawford was a saint back then didn't they?
Found this pic of the mud hut baby. He's a cutie, but I feel sorry for him in more ways than one. I guess at least he will be fed well and get medical care now.
lol. Why does that not surprise me?
Welcome, Mrs. Ivan! I have admired your husband's work for a long time, and he is a real gentleman. It will be a pleasure to see you on FR, too!
Regards, Ivan
Yep, just like the episode of "Absolutely Fabulous" where the white mother was so excited her daughter was knocked up by a black African. She was day dreaming of being out and about with the child showing it off to everyone.
She's an idiot. Too bad money can't buy one some brains.
The English can come up with some good ones. They had one a couple of years ago that I posted where they called a large newborn "Kid Kong".
I have to admit when I was younger I used to daydream about adopting an oriental child because of their beauty. I taught preschool and had a beautiful Japanese girl about 4 years old and she spoke Japanese. So damn adorable to me at the time.
Really? Why do I venture to guess that neither will spend much time with the child, which is probably a good thing in the end. She has the money that hopefully it will be taken care of well (nanny?), with good food, medical, school etc, with minimal 'Hollywood influence'.
Welcome to FR!
Here are a couple more of some of her "tame" pictures. I wonder if she included these photos in her "motherly" adoption portfolio.
In Madonna's world, everything has a price, including a child.
It is being reported that she conducted a "slave auction",lining up 12 children, and picking the one she likes.
Disgraceful.
Ugh, really? That's even worse!
Regards, Ivan
lol! I toooold you noooo wire hangerrrsss! But Madonna, in my village we are not use to hangers!!
I agree with you.
I don't know if that's true, but it sounds like picking a dog from a pound.
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