Madonna is reportedly preparing to adopt yet another Malawian child, this time a 13-month-old named Mercy.

The singer is reported to have been given permission to take the little girl as a sister to David Banda, who she adopted from the country last year.

Madonna met 10 girls at the Kondanani Orphan Care Centre at Blantyre last October before deciding and, according to sources, "had her heart set" on another girl, Grace, until the child's extended family objected.

Officials are scheduled to meet with Madonna to assess whether her adoption will be made permanent

Now the star has been told she can adopt Mercy instead, and will file papers next February before taking her home two months later.

African officials went on to note that Grace is, in one way, very lucky: She is much too young to be able to remember the day her family relegated her to life in an orphanage in one of the world's least developed countries. Thanks, Aunt Jealous!

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