Madonna Morphs from “Punk” to “Mother of God” in Malawi
“I get to become the mother I never had.”
Madonna opened up today to CBS News reporter Tracy Smith about the “trip that changed my life.”
Named after one of the three children she adopted from Malawi, Madonna, along with lifelong Malawi resident and pediatric surgeon Dr. Eric Borgstein, has created a refuge in the Mercy James Pediatric Surgery Center, a place where the UN-estimated ½ million orphaned children will finally have a chance at life-saving treatment.
Madonna said much of her inspiration for opening the hospital came from watching the deterioration of AIDS patients during the 1980s. “It’s my responsibility. I have to take care of these kids.” This is a far cry from the Madonna of the 1980s, who by her own admittance “used to say crazy things just to be a punk.” Today, as founder of the Raising Malawi foundation, her focus is on helping the hundreds of thousands of orphaned children through “health, education and community support.”
When asked what she’d hoped the name Madonna means, Madonna quickly replied “Mother of God.” But after a good laugh Tracy Smith gave her a chance to explain herself. After some deep thought, Madonna spoke with a more heartfelt explanation. “Good mother. Resilient. Make a difference.” It seems the Material Girl finally understands the priceless value of love, friendship and support.