Students Host INK-Credible Fundraiser — Bonita Students’ Good Deeds Flow All Night to Help Bring Fresh Water to Africa by Candace Guereque

Water was the real star of the INK event.

On Feb. 3, Bonita students teamed up with Christ’s Church of the Valley’s Shift College to host the Ink event, where businesses, bands and artists came together to raise money to build a well in a much needed village in Zimbabwe.

The minute you walked in, the relaxing music by the band on stage, the moving photos of Zimbabweans featured around the room and the various booths that appealed to your creative and artistic impulses made you feel as if the love and passion for this amazing cause was seeping through the walls.

From 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., supporters of Ink were immersed in a multi-sensory experience. The photography, in particular, captured the people of Africa’s sense of hope, not to mention every viewer’s heart, leaving them inspired to give whatever they could. One artist, Teresa Jansen awed people with her inspiring imagery of rough, turbulent waters.

Rebecca Aguilera and Hanna Rioseco lead their peers from Bonita High School in making bracelets and painting Toms and other items for the fundraising cause. Their efforts paid off tremendously with their table alone making abuot $500.

“Everyone was just so excited, the atmosphere was so active,” said Aguilera. “You could tell every person enjoyed the activities of the night and knew it was going to make a difference.”

Local artists were busy applying henna tattoos, making bracelets and painting toms.

The stage was filled with similarly talented students who shared their poetry. Meanwhile, wherever you were in the room — whether receiving a henna tattoo or browsing the amazing artwork — you drank in the heavenly music while sipping the clear, fresh water, which was the real star of the evening.
 
The night was also very much a teaching and learning experience. Water jugs, which most Americans wouldn’t dare drink out of, lined the perimeter of the stage. Their purpose was to show what the people in Zimbabwe have to face daily in their pursuit of potable water. A new well, however, would deliver the same kind of fresh water that most Americans take for granted.
 
At one corner of the room sat a table with two 40-pound water jugs that people could try to lift and carry to the opposite side of the room and back. This demonstrated the challenge that children as young as age five to seniors well into their 60s and 70s must endure daily in their struggle to obtain fresh water. Unless they were extremely strong and fit, most people who attempted this task could not complete it without assistance. This live demonstration helped fill the “change for change” bowl with even more contributions.
 
“This well honestly could save so many peoples lives,” said Rachel Collins, who is part of the Global Outreach staff at Christ’s Church of the Valley.  “It will provide so much. To them, clean water is everything.” Collins will join Aguilera in visiting Zimbabwe this summer.

“I was really surprised by the amount of people who showed,” Aguilera added. “It was amazing to see their passion and how much they cared about the cause.”

Another supporter who attended the event, Ariana Domasin, said, “I’m so happy to see a young community so involved in a cause that most Americans take for granted, but means life to the people of Africa.”
 
All night the inspiration flowed, which in turn in a few short months, will help water flow in an area of Africa that desperately needs this life-giving force.