M and the kids meeting Mercy

"Sources at Lilongwe's luxury Kumbali lodge, where Madonna is staying, yesterday told of the touching scenes as the singer's children Lourdes, twelve, Rocco, eight, and David, three, met their new sister for the first time.

After the children sat down for a special meal together Rocco - Madonna's son by her ex-husband Brit film director Guy Ritchie, 40 - pulled his younger brother and sister Lourdes outside to play football in the lodge's luscious gardens.

But he then turned to gently take his prospective new sister Mercy by the hand - persuading her to come and play outside with them too.

The source yesterday said: "Mercy is a beautiful little girl, with eyes like saucers and a smile that could melt butter.

"She's spent the last few days in the lodge with one of Madonna's nannies, running around in circles and endlessly stroking the owner's cat.

"But, when Madonna arrived on Sunday night, Mercy started laughing and clapping her hands.

"It was very emotional for Madonna too - who hasn't seen Mercy since she was a two-year-old.

"Madonna sat with her for hours and was very attentive. She seemed so proud to be sat holding this Malawian little girl."

The source added that David - who has returned to his homeland for the first time in two years - was presented with a special strawberry cheesecake by staff at the lodge.

And Mercy tucked into a bowl of 'Supergate' - a local rice dish.

David was also reunited with his peasant father Yohane Banda, 34 - after the farmer made repeated appeals over the past two years to see his son again.

Yohane yesterday told how his "very special boy" didn't even recognise him when they were introduced - with the tot asking: "Who are you?"

He added: "My son didn't recognise me and asked me who I was.

"I understand, as he was a barely a year old when he left - too young to remember these things.

"And, truthfully, I didn't recognise him either as he has grown so much.

David sat with me and spent time squeezing and playing with my nose."

"It was the proudest day of my life, to sit here again with my son. Now I want him to meet his new half brother and sister and show him the village in which we all live."