[Stormster]

I knew this would happen!

Madonna wins adoption appeal in Malawi - CNN.com

I am not even sure how I feel about this but I just get annoyed when people with money and power always get what they want no matter what it is!

[BlessedbySnuggs]

Yeah Storm....I agree. I don't really know how to feel about it.

The only thing I can really say is that I will always, 100% of the time, agree that a child is better off with a loving family (I don't care what country the adoptive family is from) rather than being stuck in an orphanage with tons of other kids.

Hopefully, it works out for all of them.

[loveajax]

Yeah, it's a tough one (not a big Madonna fan). I think most people were saying that you have to follow the laws of the country you adopt from (I agree) and obviously the courts get to interpret those laws. So if Malawi's high court says it's OK, then I guess it's OK. I just find it hard to believe that an "average Joe" would get a "waiver" from the adoption requirements, etc.

[sbaglio]

Money talks.

[loveajax]

Fadzi, maybe they just liked her new cute boyfriend! haha

[MamaS]

She was in Lesotho last week visiting an orphanage. Maybe Malawi realized they were about to lose a lot of money that could benefit ALL the children?
Even if they "bent the rules" for her, I don't see any great stampede of people trying to adopt from Malawi. Ethiopia is still the "flavor of the month" in African adoption.

[devildogwife]

Originally Posted by MamaS

She was in Lesotho last week visiting an orphanage. Maybe Malawi realized they were about to lose a lot of money that could benefit ALL the children?
Even if they "bent the rules" for her, I don't see any great stampede of people trying to adopt from Malawi. Ethiopia is still the "flavor of the month" in African adoption.

Obviously, more people are adopting from Ethiopia because it's open to Americans and the requirements don't seem to be as stringent. Why would PAP's stampede to adopt from Malawi when they seem to want PAP's to be residents of the country and care for the child for at least 18 months before the adoption is final? It makes total sense that the average person would adopt from Ethiopia and not Malawi.

[MamaS]

Originally Posted by devildogwife

Obviously, more people are adopting from Ethiopia because it's open to Americans and the requirements don't seem to be as stringent. Why would PAP's stampede to adopt from Malawi when they seem to want PAP's to be residents of the country and care for the child for at least 18 months before the adoption is final? It makes total sense that the average person would adopt from Ethiopia and not Malawi.

Exactly. They keep emphasizing the "residency requirement"! I wonder how many Malawians have adopted any of their own orphans? (I don't mean extended family but actual, unrelated children in need of homes.) If they can't take care of the large number of children in need and/or don't want to take them into their family units, then let people who can and want to! Even people like Madonna and Angelina!

[SupaModel]

Good for her! Im also glad for Mercy

[CRAZY_WOMAN]

I'm happy for Mercy and Madonna & her family,Don't really care that she was able to get the girl because she was rich.I wonder if she wasn't famous,if she would have been rejected in the first place.

[JenC]

Originally Posted by MamaS

She was in Lesotho last week visiting an orphanage. Maybe Malawi realized they were about to lose a lot of money that could benefit ALL the children?
Even if they "bent the rules" for her, I don't see any great stampede of people trying to adopt from Malawi. Ethiopia is still the "flavor of the month" in African adoption.

As mom of an Ethiopian son, I have to say that we didn't go to Ethiopia because it was/is popular. We went to Ethiopia partly because of my time spent researching countries and because we felt led that Ethiopia was where our boy was. Not because it was "flavor of the month".

[ocracoke]

Originally Posted by JenC

As mom of an Ethiopian son, I have to say that we didn't go to Ethiopia because it was/is popular. We went to Ethiopia partly because of my time spent researching countries and because we felt led that Ethiopia was where our boy was. Not because it was "flavor of the month".

I have to say that I had an "ouch" moment when I read that too.

My personal opinion -- if any country feels like they want to open up their adoption system to international countries then they need to make the process of adoption in such a manner that allows for it. Bypassing the laws makes it unethical. I know essentially nothing of the Madonna situation (only what has been reported) but Malawi has a law that says 18 months of residency. Madonna has not lived in Malawi for 18 months -- nor could most people I know who are interested in international adoption. So why was this law bypassed for her? Would it be bypassed for other people interested in adopting from there? Aside from all the culture, history, beauty, people, and food that I fell in love with when researching adopting from Ethiopia, one of the things that made it do-able to adopt from there was 1 trip for about 1 week. If it had been 18 months (like Malawi) I would have moved on to the next country. Because, above all else, adoption needs to be ethical. Countries have the right to set their own laws on adoption (whether I like it or not) but I should have to abide by the same laws as everyone else (rich, poor, average joe, or celebrity).

JMO,
Samantha

[DannieAS]

I'm also not sure what to make of this. Mostly because I don't know know all the information regarding this particular case....all I know is what the media says which I give a grain of salt to, no matter what the news of the week is.

However, I don't particularly care for the argument that say it's because she has money. Well I make a decent living and am not rich, but if I were rich and I had a situation (not necessarily adoption) where I needed a lawyer...I'm sure I'd get the best lawyer I could afford, and I think for anyone to say that they wouldn't do that really isn't being honest with themselves.

(btw....I don't particularly care for Madonna or hate her, just my thoughts in general)

[MamaS]

Originally Posted by JenC

As mom of an Ethiopian son, I have to say that we didn't go to Ethiopia because it was/is popular. We went to Ethiopia partly because of my time spent researching countries and because we felt led that Ethiopia was where our boy was. Not because it was "flavor of the month".

I did not mean it in a negative way. It just seems international adoption goes in waves. In the 1960's it was Holt and the Amerasian and Korean children. In the 1970's it was the Vietnam Airlift. In the early 1980's it was the civil war in El Salvador. Then the war ended, the supply of homeless children dwindled, and attention turned to Mother Teresa and the plight of Indian girls. Then the USSR dissolved, different countries appeared, and everyone was "rushing to get a Russian"! Then Guatemala and China and now Ethiopia.
For foreign adoptions to be successful three things are needed:
1. Available children.
2. Publicity about the available children.
3. A legal system that will process adoptions in a timely and efficient manner.
As far as I know, Ethiopia is the only African country that meets all three criteria. IMHO, that is a good thing for the children.

[sbaglio]

I feel sad for Mercy's father and her extended family. I'm sure she will have a lovely life with Madonna and her Jesus (or whomever is next in line). David Banda's father blessed the adoption, Mercy's did not. It's a shame that he and her family are to pay such a consequence for not being able to afford to take care of her.