2017 Opus Prize Laureate
Mercy Beyond Borders
South Sudan and Haiti
Sister Marilyn Lacey founded Mercy Beyond Borders in 2008 after a visit to South Sudan where she saw what she described as “by far the most devastated place” she’d ever experienced during her decades of work with refugees around the world. With operations in South Sudan and Haiti, Mercy Beyond Borders brings hope to more than 1,400 woman and girls annually by providing educational, economic and empowerment opportunities where there are few options to escape extreme poverty.
Sister Marilyn is a Sister of Mercy and lifelong believer of helping through listening. She accepted her call from God, not to save people, but to be with them and help bring them hope. Her work with women and girls in South Sudan and Haiti emphasizes the inherent value that each person has, regardless of traditions and cultural norms. The education Mercy Beyond Borders offers enables the communities she serves to lift itself up and begin working toward health, stability and equality.
“I didn’t set out to be a leader,” Sister Marilyn says. “I just saw what needed doing and I did it.” Her journey began with noticing a flyer asking for volunteers to help refugees, and it has grown into a powerful force for good in remarkably difficult places. Sister Marilyn measures her success not by numbers, but by the light that comes into a woman’s eyes when she understands her worth.