One of the most frustrating things about trying to help our friends in Haiti is the physical limitations given to us by our physical bodies. We have to eat, we have to sleep and sometimes, we have to simply be really patient when things are out of our control.

We’re learning a very important lesson in patience as I write this as we await news of baby Landina’s fate. It came to our attention, well, Sally’s actually, that this tiny baby, just three months old is in desperate need of neurosurgery and will die if she doesn’t get it. A British Doctor, David Nott happens to be in Haiti with Doctors without Borders and is the one caring for Landina and dressing her wounds for the last two weeks when she was brought to the hospital.

The child has no known family and only Dr. Nott and other volunteers are there to comfort her.

Upon seeing a report on Channel 4 News, our Sally was moved to action when she realized that Dr. Nott was British and that there was the possibility of flying the baby to the UK for her surgery. Sally called 6 hospitals to learn what could be done to contact Dr. Nott directly and put him in touch with the #Haiti tweetchain. Finally Sally spoke to Sean Stephens at the Channel 4 news desk.

It wasn’t until very early this morning, that Sally found herself on the phone with Jackie Rush who is a colleague of Dr. Nott’s and a chain of events was launched. The contact information for Dr. Nott, in Haiti was shared with
@ShaunKing, an American who was also on the case.

In a series of direct messages, a way of sharing private information in Twitter, the contact information was passed to Mr. King who has arranged the airlift transportation for the baby and as soon as the red tape clears tiny Landina will be winging her way to a neurosurgery for a life-saving operation which could give her a future.

As of this posting, Sally who has still not slept, is anxiously awaiting news of Landina’s fate.

We ask that you summon the energies of whichever faith or God it is that you follow and send positive thoughts and prayers to Landina so that she will have the best possible opportunity.

We know that we cannot save everyone, but we here at Operation Ayiti, and everyone who is volunteering in the tweetchain is doing everything they can to create as many positive outcomes for people as we possibly can. Baby Landina is probably just one of tens of thousands of children who will possibly be saved by the efforts of the tweetchain, and sadly, the reality is that no matter our efforts, there is no way that any of us can guarantee a positive outcome for anyone, but we try. Yet, in the immortal words of George Lucas’ Yoda from the Star Wars films, “There is no try. There is do or not do.” One can but do what one can. Here at Operation Ayiti, we are left powerless, knowing we have done everything we can. Now, we await the fates of the universe and we hope that the outcome will be one that has all twitterdome jumping for joy.

Stay tuned, we will keep you updated as the story continues to unfold. And if you haven’t said that prayer yet, what are you waiting for?