By Elizabeth LaFond Coppez ’03, M’07
At the start of an 11-month mission commitment, Haley Batchelder ’16 found herself helping children with disabilities in an orphanage. “It was the first time in my life that I felt a deep compassion for someone,” she says. “One little girl wasn’t verbal, but she always shared a beautiful smile, and we connected. It was hard to say goodbye.”
This experience, and the remaining months she spent on the World Race, assured Batchelder that she wanted to continue reaching out to others in need as a way of life. “I want to go to vulnerable populations, love people, and share worship and music,” she says.
During her Westfield State experience, Batchelder was a leader involved in the Student Government Association and Campus Activities Board, and she directed the all-female a capella group AcaOwlettes. She also completed three internships. After graduating with a degree in English, Batchelder secured a job in Boston as a grant writer, but she wasn’t fulfilled. She had regrets about not studying abroad as an undergrad.
She signed up for World Race, an 11-month, 11-country mission trip to serve others around the world, and a wonderful whirlwind began. Batchelder has traveled to countries including Guatemala, Nicaragua, Panama, Lesotho, Swaziland, South Africa, Malaysia, Thailand, Cambodia, Indonesia, and the Philippines. “We lived in a lot of orphanages, delivered food to villages, worked in preschools, and even helped deliver babies,” she says.
World Race is affiliated with churches around the world and sends missionaries where the need is the greatest. Before Batchelder began the work, she raised $20,000 to fund her adventure.
“My family and friends are so supportive, and I raised money through writing support letters, holding fundraising events, and updating my blog,” she adds.
Batchelder spent the summer working with Wildheart Ministries in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, helping to rebuild
the community of Allison Hill. She then returned to Spain to complete the final three months of a leadership school, G42 Leadership Academy.
Unsure where her path will lead at the end of this year, Batchelder is confident her journey will include showing people love through writing songs and playing music. She said Associate Professor Leah Nielsen of the English Department encouraged her in this work. “I spent a semester writing 25 poems about my faith, and writing about that was new for me,” she says.
She adds, “One of the biggest things Westfield State taught me is that I’m capable of anything.”
