Mercy's world of Madgeness
Mercy's world of Madgeness
EXCLUSIVE by Nick Owens 21/06/2009
Tot flown 6,000 miles from home to meet new mum Madonna and family in London.. and is whisked straight to a Kabbalah meeting
Little Mercy James spent 12 hours flying 6,000 miles to start her new life with adoptive mum Madonna yesterday… then was driven straight to a Kabbalah meeting.
Under cover of darkness in Malawi on Friday the three-year-old was taken from all that was familiar to her, put on a private jet and flown into Madonna’s arms in London.
But Mercy wasn’t allowed time to play with toys or settle into her new life. Instead, within hours of arriving, Madonna whisked the child and her new siblings Lourdes, 12, Rocco, eight and David, three, to her first lesson in the controversial Kabbalah faith.
Madonna’s ex, Guy Ritchie, who was at the singer’s side when she first spotted Mercy in a Malawi orphanage in 2006, was at the Kabbalah centre.
The family spent an hour at the meeting in London before Mercy – wearing a pair of new shiny white sandals – returned to Madonna’s £15million home in Mayfair.
Guy took Rocco and David to his Wiltshire home for the weekend, allowing Madonna time to bond with her new daughter.
Meanwhile, back in Malawi Mercy’s dad James Kambewa, who fought to win custody of Mercy, was heartbroken his girl had been taken away. He said: “My Mercy is gone. Madonna has used her money and power but my blood lives in Mercy for ever and ever. There is nothing I can do now.”
Yesterday experts condemned the way the 50-year-old singer handled her first day as Mercy’s mum. They said Kabbalah was the last thing she needed and urged the superstar to give Mercy quiet time to adapt to her new surroundings.
Child psychologist Katherine Fingleton said: “Taking her to a Kabbalah meeting will be a complete culture shock. She should be kept safe from experiences in the spotlight that will not help with her development.”
Madonna, who won custody of the child two weeks ago, had been expected to fly to Africa and personally collect the tot, whom she has not seen since March.
Instead, Mercy was secretly smuggled out of the poverty-stricken country at night. Wearing a cream dress, she was collected by a 4x4 car with blacked-out windows from the lodge in Kumbali where she has been staying for the past two weeks.
Flanked by Phillip Bosphe, head of Madonna’s charity Raising Malawi, a nurse and a nanny, Mercy was driven to Kazmu International Airport where security had been massively beefed up ahead of her arrival.
Waiting there was a Cessna private jet hired from South Africa – the first snapshot for Mercy of the luxurious life which lies ahead with Madonna.
The toddler then boarded a plane for the first time. After getting clearance from aviation officials to take off, the aircraft headed for Tambo International Airport in South Africa.
From there Mercy and Madonna’s entourage flew to Heathrow. She was then driven to the singer’s luxury London home – a world away from her previous orphanage home in poverty-stricken Malawi.
Madonna, who had been speaking to Mercy on the phone every day, prepared for the arrival by attending the Kabbalah meeting. She has been a follower for many years but critics say Kabbalah is more like a cult.
One of their most controversial views is that Jews would have survived the Holocaust had they studied Kabbalah.
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Madonna is even rumoured to be planning a Kabbalah commitment ceremony to her model toyboy lover Jesus Luz, who appeared yesterday on the catwalk at a Milan fashion show.
Now Mercy will be encouraged to follow the faith as well. The tot’s time is expected to be divided between homes in London and New York.
Yesterday Anne Chikh Waza, director of the Kondanani Children’s home where Mercy lived, said she was glad the child was now living with Madonna.
“The girl is gone and I’m very happy,” she said. “The process was long but at last she has found happiness.”
The star has reportedly splashed out recently on a £25million Georgian-style townhouse in the Upper East side of New York with 13 bedrooms.
She won her lengthy battle to adopt Mercy two weeks ago when a Malawian court ruled “every child has a right to love”.
The decision overturned a previous ruling preventing Madonna from adopting the three-year-old.
Approval of the adoption angered many campaigners who claim Madonna was only allowed to have Mercy because of the huge sums she has pumped into the poor African state.
She gave £12million to fund six orphanages as well as paying for shoes, clothes, books and mosquito nets.
Madonna first came across Mercy at an orphanage during her first visit to Malawi in 2006 with Guy Ritchie.
She decided that Mercy, whose mum Mwandida Chekechiwa died in childbirth, was “the one”.
But the toddler’s grandmother, Lucy Checkechiwa, refused to let her go so Madonna chose to adopt David Banda instead.
Then last year Madonna tried again to adopt Mercy.
It sparked fury among the child’s family – especially her dad James Kambewa.
In a series of exclusive interviews with the Sunday Mirror the penniless security guard revealed his determination to defy Madonna, who is worth £150million, and win custody of Mercy.
But in the end the singer got her own way.
nick.owens@sundaymirror.co.uk