There was a lot going against Madonna as she set out to adopt Mercy James to Malawi, and a new set of interviews shows that some of that opposition was coming from the family of the little girl.
New interviews with Mercy's parents in Malawi show that all of the known living family members of the little girl fought against her being adopted by Madonna. When the adoption process began, Mercy James was considered an orphan because her mother had died in childbirth and her father's whereabouts were unknown. During the course of the adoption and the ensuing publicity, the biological father of Mercy, James Kambewa, was found by reporters covering the story. Once found, he claimed that he had believed Mercy had died with her mother and that he did not want the adoption to proceed.
The latest information from Mercy's grandmother, Lucy Chekechiwa, fought against the adoption from the beginning. According to the Daily Mail, Mercy's mother Mwandida, Chekechiwa's daughter, died a month following the birth of Mercy. Unable to care for the infant, Mercy's grandmother then placed the baby in the care of a local orphanage with an agreement that she would come back for the girl after six years.
Why Mercy's grandmother made the six-year plan is still unclear. It may be that a six-year-old was perceived to be easier or less expensive to raise as a younger child. Or, it may be that the grandmother could expect a six-year-old Mercy to work for pay and contribute to the household expenses in a way that a younger child could not. Whatever the purpose of the six year waiting period, the alleged agreement was not enough to stop the adoption.
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