Madonna in Malawi to appear before judge

The star,who wants to adopt the girl as a ‘sister’ to Banda,her first Malawian child,refused to speak about her controversial adoption plans.

Madonna is expected to appear before the judge to seek permission to adopt the four-year-old girl child.

If the adoption cannot be completed,Madonna hopes a temporary custody order will allow her to take the child home to New York.

Meanwhile,the 50-year-old was seen strolling with her daughter in an impoverished village,Chinkhota.

The star,in a Chanel tracksuit top and straw hat,walked through Chinkhota,holding hands with Lourdes and urging her to say ‘How are you?’ to the locals in their own language.

The star is said to have told the villagers about her plans to build a school and was seen looking at an artist’s impression of the building.

She is also expected to take her Malawian son to meet his new sister at Kumbali Lodge,where Mercy has been staying for a few days and learning some English.

Madonna’s second adoption from the African country is expected to be as controversial as Banda’s in 2006 because Mercy’s surviving family is not too keen on giving up the child to the star.

If the adoption goes through,Madonna would become a single mother of four. She also has an 8-year-old son,Rocco,with former husband and British film director Guy Ritchie and her daughter Lourdes from a previous relationship.

She and Ritchie divorced last year after a seven and half year of marriage.