SPIN LIKE THE WIND-the blog of Nigel James.

DON'T LET THE FLAME DIE OUT

Sitting at my desk in the Ignite office having literally just walked through the door on my return journey from Flames of Fire. It was a good week, and especially thrilling was the way so many of our young Ignite team are flourishing. As a 45 year old man, it's getting harder and harder for me each year to head up the 11-18's programme, so instead I pour most of my energy into developing younger leaders to do that. I'm really proud of people like Rachel, Elen, Ed, Craig, Becky, Matt, Jess and Liz, to name but a few, who have grown up in the Ignite programme ( some of them for 10 years!) and are now all in leadership positions in the Ignite work at Flames of Fire. This picture is of Craig and Ed - aka Ted and Gareth the hosts of our breakfast show. Our office team- Anita, Katie, Abi, Michelle, Tim and Dai, plus Maaike and Wouter back from Holland, were stars all week as well! The worship team of Andrew, Ignite Band and Superhero did a powerful job and took the young people to a place in worship that many had never been to before. Thanks to all of you for being serving the Kingdom so faithfully this week. Spare a thought for Gary and Michelle- they've broken down in the Ignite van full of equipment only a few miles out of the Flames of Fire site and are still waiting for the breakdown services to arrive!
This picture is of Gary putting a new bunch of young leaders through some trust games.

FLAMES OF FIRE

I'm in the International Pavilion at the Royal Welsh Showground, taking part in a seminar at Flames of Fire. I thought I'd have a chance to snooze this afternoon after a couple of great but tiring days in the Ignite programme. Instead I'm helping Elfed Godding from Evangelical Alliance Wales in his seminar on 'Equipping for Ministry'. My bit is over so I've been checking emails and writing this blog. We've got about 150 or so 11-18 year olds in our Ignite programme this week, including our full-time team and our younger leaders group from all over Wales. Been using my Welsh a bit as well, led communion last night when I prayed and gave thanks for the bread and wine in English and Cymraeg- Mae Duw yn dda! ( God is good!)

FRIENDS AND FLAMES

We've just spent a pleasant few hours with our friends Andy and Trisha Booth from Fort Wayne, Indiana, USA. They are over in Wales for some holiday time and Andy is leading worship at the Flames of Fire conference which starts on Saturday. Andy is originally from Wales and is a good friend of mine, a trusted colleague in ministry, and their home is my regular stopping off point in the States. We don't get to see much off them over this side of the Atlantic so it was a real pleasure to welcome them to our house.

Andy and Trisha have two gorgeous boys called Jake and Eli, and our daughter Bethan loves them! I'll be in the Ignite venue at Flames of Fire all next week so don't expect any blogs until next weekend unless I manage to get online. Flames of Fire is a great week for Ignite, where we have about 130 or so young people from all over Wales and we soak them in Godly worship, Jesus centred teaching and Holy Spirit ministry. The venue of the Royal Welsh showground in Builth Wells is stunning, unless it rains! It's a demanding and tiring time but very fulfilling- many of our recent gap year team members at Ignite have risen out of Flames of Fire.

INDIA SCHOOL PROJECT

I've just received an email from my friend Pastor Prasad in Rajahmundry, South India. In the email was the official building plans for a school that my wife Gill and I have committed to help Prasad build!
We're really excited about this project and we've already bought 3 acres of land in a village called Unduspuram, on the outskirts of the city of Rajahmundry. The land cost us about £18,000 (roughly $33,000) and we are immensely grateful to my great mates in Third Day who generously gave some of their concert profits in the Spring to help pay for this land. We've decided that the whole land compound ( which will also feature an orphanage at some stage) is going to be called The Come Together Centre, as a thank-you gesture to Third Day.
I take a mission team out to Rajahmundry in September so I'll be able to see the progress, but here's a picture of the land.Work preparing it has already begun, and we've got a variety of fund raising events going on in Cardiff. Ignite has paid for a couple of churches to be built in neighbouring villages which has been an exciting and rewarding experience- you can see some pictures in one of my galleries below. If anyone would like to give some money to the school then please send me a cheque to Ignite, PO Box 39, Dinas Powys, CF64 4ZX, Wales, UK. Cheques should be made out to 'India School Account'. Even a small amount will make a significant impact. I'll promise to keep you all updated on the school over the coming months as this faith venture continues.