Filed under 'Madonna'

Madonna was pictured with three of her children, Lourdes, 13, David, 4, and Mercy, 3, while visiting the Mphandu la Orphanage in the Namitete area outside Lilongwe, Malawi on Thursday (October 29). Madonna's 9-year-old son Rocco was not spotted with the group.

While visiting David's former orphanage, the center's director reports to Us that "It was an emotional moment," noting that Madonna wept. "David is too young to understand . . . but for us who remember the sickly tiny little baby of 2006, it was hard to hold back tears, including Madonna." The orphanage founder adds, "He is so boisterous! I can't believe he is the same chap of 2006."

Madonna's Raising Malawi charity has recently built numerous buildings for the orphaned children of Malawi. One young orphan proclaimed his appreciation to the pop star:

You are our god. Where could we have been without you?"

Malawi is one of the southern African countries devastated by HIV/AIDS. At least 14 per cent of the 13.1 million population has HIV. There are over 2 million orphans in Malawi, half of them as a direct result of HIV/AIDS.

Madonna launched the construction of a multi-million dollar girls' school by planting a Moringa tree in a village north of Lilongwe, Malawi on Monday (October 26). The 51-year-old Queen of Pop was joined by her 13-year-old daughter Lourdes.

The Raising Malawi Academy for Girls - in Chinkhota village about 15 kilometers outside the capital Lilongwe - is expected to cost $15 million and be completed in two years. It will admit 500 girls from the small southern African country's 28 districts. Madonna spoke to ABC News about the importance of an education and her reasons for going ahead with this multi-million dollar project:

Growing up in a privileged life, I took education for granted...but coming to Malawi has taught me a lot of things and (I have) learnt to appreciate what life gives," Madonna said. “I realized how much they deserve to be educated and so for me the best thing I could do was to build a school, a unique school that will create future female leaders, scientists, lawyers, doctors and if this school is successful it will be used as a model to replicate it in other countries.”

Madonna adopted two of her children from Malawi: David, 4, and Mercy, 3

Get into the groove! Madonna's 13-year-old daughter Lourdes Leon, who is quite the fashionista, looked like a copycat image of her mother from the '80s flick Desperately Seeking Susan. Lourdes - who just turned 13 a week ago - wore a black leather jacket, flowered leggings, yellow Ray Ban sunglasses and carried an over sized bag as she danced her way out of their London Home on Tuesday (October 20).

Shortly after Lourdes' departure, Madonna's younger daughter, 3-year-old Mercy James, was spotted wearing a cozy black jacket also leaving their London home with her nanny in a black cab.

The Queen of Pop recently revealed that Lourdes is showing signs of wanting to be an actress one day.

I don't think she wants to be a singer. I think she wants to be an actress." The Papa Don't Preach singer went on to say she supports whatever path Lourdes chooses: "I'm fine with it, as long as she finishes school, and takes it seriously. She also plays piano, and she's really into clothes and fashion and style. She can go in any direction. She's got a lot of diverse interests right now. We'll see. I'm not pushing anything. We'll see what she wants to do."

Considered one of the most influential women in contemporary music, Madonna has been known for continually reinventing her music and image. Not only is she the best-selling female rock artist of the 20th Century, the 51-year-old Material Girl is also mom to four kids: Lourdes, 12, Rocco, 9, David, 4, and Mercy, 3. The Queen of Pop opened up to PopEater about her busy life, her 12-year-old daughter Lourdes, the possibility of more children, and her upcoming projects.

On Lourdes being in her new video 'Celebration': "She hangs out with the dancers a lot. She's a dancer, herself. The video is about the celebration of music and dance. There's an improvisational moment when we're all in a circle and each dancer does their specialty or a special move that they do well. She wanted to do hers, so she did."

On if she thinks Lourdes will follow in her footsteps: "No. I don't think she wants to be a singer. I think she wants to be an actress." The Papa Don't Preach singer went on to say she supports whatever path Lourdes chooses: "I'm fine with it, as long as she finishes school, and takes it seriously. She also plays piano, and she's really into clothes and fashion and style. She can go in any direction. She's got a lot of diverse interests right now. We'll see. I'm not pushing anything. We'll see what she wants to do."

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