Sister Laurinda didn’t always want to join the convent. “In grade school, I didn’t really care for sisters – I didn’t like them. What I really wanted to do was get married and become a secretary.” But when she was a freshman in high school, she felt a calling. “I said, ‘If that’s you, God, please leave me alone,’” she remembers. After trying and failing to ignore God’s calling, she became a nun after high school graduation in 1959.
Fast forward to 2018 and Sister Laurinda is now a bilingual international representative for ProPapa Missions in Honduras. She’s also one of the patron inspirations for the organic underwear brand Marc Skid and has a pair of hipster undies named after her. (She just hopes it doesn’t get her in trouble with the pope!)
But how’d it all happen?
Well, back when Sister Laurinda was still a nun-hater, she met Joan. The two were fast friends from grade school on. “We became like sisters. She’s my best friend.” The two grew up together, and remain close even today. While Laurinda traveled her journey throughout the faith, eventually moving to Honduras as a missionary, Joan got married and had four kids.
“I remember them as little children,” Laurinda said of Dan Barry and his sisters. “I’ve known him his whole life.”
And thus, Dan grew up with an international missionary rockstar as a role model.
Sister Laurinda’s hope for humanity and love for people inspired Dan to want to give back, too. In 1994, he visited the ProPapa trauma clinic in Honduras where Laurinda had been working. It was there that he saw firsthand what just a little bit of effort could do to help people.
One night after his trip to Honduras, Dan and a buddy had a revelation of sorts about underwear. Why are they all advertised the same way, with six pack abs and serious dudes? Why aren’t brands more like the people we love – honest and caring and generous? And thus, Marc Skid was born.
Well, sort of. The idea for Marc Skid was born. It would be almost another 20 years before the dream became a reality.
But at the heart of it all was that feeling Dan got from Sister Laurinda. That we can all make a difference. That one person isn’t too insignificant to make a change.
Sister Laurinda said of volunteers who have visited the mission in Honduras, “They didn’t know they were living in paradise. They didn’t know they could help so much.”
How will you help? Make your Marc on the world today.