Madonna and her children visit Malawi orphanage

[April 04, 2013]  MCHINJI, Malawi (AP) -- Hundreds of orphans welcomed Madonna and her children with song and dance on Wednesday during their visit to the orphanage where the pop star adopted one of her Malawian children.

Madonna said she was happy to be back at the Home of Hope orphanage, where she adopted David Banda, in the western district of Mchinji near the border with Zambia.

"I'm happy that David is back to see his brothers and sisters," she said.

David, now 8, was accompanied by his sister Mercy James, who is 8 and also adopted from Malawi, and their siblings, Rocco and Lourdes.

Madonna adopted David in 2006. On Wednesday he was taken to his former crib, which has been preserved in his memory.

It wasn't known if the family would also visit the Kondanani Children's Village, where Madonna adopted Mercy in 2009 after a protracted court battle.

Madonna and her children will visit a pediatrics hospital in Blantyre on Thursday, and another orphanage Friday.

The singer arrived Monday in Malawi to visit projects she has helped with. Madonna initially planned to build a $15 million 500-bed Raising Malawi Academy for girls, before changing plans to help fund several community schools.

[Associated Press; By RAPHAEL TENTHANI]

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