January 28, 2009

Co-author of latest ‘Chicken Soup’ book lives the Catholic faith

By Linda L. Osmundson

“Teach me your path, lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation,” reads Psalm 25:4-5, the Bible verse taped to LeAnn Thieman’s computer. Asking for God’s guidance and following her heart and faith changed LeAnn from an Iowa farm girl to nurse, wife, mother, writer, professional speaker and savior of unwanted babies.

Growing up as one of eight children in a strong Catholic family prompted LeAnn to follow the Catholic principle of helping others. Throughout her life, she’s set an example of living her faith.

As a child, she collected clothing for the needy and pennies for UNICEF. Later, she baked goods for church sales then went one step farther to help others—she became a nurse. After marrying the love of her life, Mark, and giving birth to two beautiful daughters, LeAnn continued to think about her desire to adopt a baby boy.

One day in an Iowa mall, she was drawn to the poster of a starving child with helplessness reflected in his eyes. LeAnn bought a dozen cupcakes from the Friends of Children of Vietnam (FCVN), joined the group and applied to adopt a baby. She served as the chapter’s president and converted her basement into the FCVN’s state headquarters.

Within a year, the FCVN organization approached LeAnn with a request that she help escort six babies from Saigon to their assigned adoptive families in the States. She prayed and debated with herself about whether she should leave her husband and two toddlers to embark on this dangerous mission. Finally, with the loving support of her family, LeAnn accepted the challenge. 

Little did she know the extent of that mission. By the time she reached Saigon, President Gerald Ford had approved Operation Babylift. LeAnn learned why God had sent her. The FCVN contact who met LeAnn said, “You won’t be taking out six babies. It’ll be 300!”

The FCVN contact also told LeAnn she could choose a baby from those to be transported. Overjoyed, LeAnn wondered how she could possibly choose from so many beautiful babies. However, one little baby boy made the decision for her. He chose her. At the last minute, LeAnn found her baby not aboard the plane. With little time to spare, she rushed back to retrieve him as well as a few more babies.

LeAnn watched in horror as the first plane-load of children crashed before her eyes. Yet she didn’t back down. She helped load crying, wet, sweating babies into boxes and place them in the cargo hull of a military plane. As was her custom, LeAnn prayed while she propped bottles, changed diapers and soothed the crying. The plane taxied down the runway. At last, the captain announced they were out of firing range.

Upon her return home, she presented the family with their new brother. But her job wasn’t complete. God had other plans for her.

The idea of a book rattled around in her head for years. In 1995 a Christian publisher released her first book, “This Must Be My Brother.” It chronicled her experiences of the 1975 Babylift while bombs fell around her in war-torn Saigon. Snippets from her book appeared in many “Chicken Soup for the Soul” publications. In fact, she published more stories in the series than any other author. She suggested to the owners that they might consider a book for nurses. They did—and they chose her to co-author it.

Early in her writing career, LeAnn presented motivational speeches about the Babylift to accompany the marketing of her books. Audiences flocked to her back-of-the-room book sales desk and grabbed up thousands of books. An audience member said, “I’m going to live my life different after hearing you today.”

A Fort Collins resident, LeAnn authored or co-authored nine books for the “Chicken Soup” series, including “Chicken Soup for the Nurse’s Soul.”

For each book, LeAnn read between 2,000 and 5,000 submissions in order to find the best 101 stories. She received submissions with notes saying they had a story to tell but lacked the ability to write it. She rewrote or edited for them. All the while, she maintained her home and family, gardened, welcomed grandchildren, wrote other articles and served her parish.

Each “Chicken Soup” book must pass the test of a team of 40 readers who evaluate the stories. Those 101 stories with the highest marks appear in the books. The process takes up the better part of two years before publication.

After authoring two “Christian Soul” books, LeAnn questioned the need of a book for Catholics. However, she changed her mind when she witnessed the hordes of devout Catholics in the media coverage of Pope John Paul II’s death and funeral. LeAnn says Catholics will find a bit of their families, their roots and themselves in this book.

How fitting that the publishers changed the name of the “Catholic Soul” book to “Chicken Soup for the Soul: Living Catholic Faith” and chose LeAnn, a true example of someone who lives her faith, to author it. The book hit shelves before Christmas.

LeAnn insists God picks ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary deeds.

“Look at me,” she says, “I’m living proof.”