Hi! My name is Thaddaeus Alexander I, and I’m a missionary born and raised in the small town of Sumner, Washington.

Right now, I’m living and serving in Potchefstroom, South Africa, with a movement called Fire and Fragrance, a ministry under Youth With A Mission (YWAM). YWAM is a global missions organization focused on empowering people of all nations to know God and make Him known—and I’m incredibly honored to be part of that mission.

My journey into missions isn’t something I stumbled into—it’s something God planted deep in my heart. Over time, through prayer and encounters with Him, the Lord gave me a clear and undeniable passion for Africa. Not just as a place to visit, but as a land I feel deeply connected to. I believe that my spiritual inheritance is in Africa—that God has called me to pour out my life in love and obedience here, and to see transformation in people’s lives through the power of Jesus Christ.

I’ve recently stepped into a new and exciting role as DTS (Discipleship Training School) staff here in Potchefstroom. That means I get to spend the next several months walking closely with students from all over the world, helping them grow in their faith, deepen their intimacy with God, and step boldly into their calling. I’ll be part of teaching, mentoring, and discipling them during the three-month training phase—and then I’ll help lead outreach teams into the nations, where students will experience what it means to live out their faith and share the Gospel firsthand in some of the most spiritually hungry places on earth.

Missions work is beautiful, but it also takes a community. I can’t do this alone. In order to continue doing what God has called me to do—living full-time on mission, discipling students, and reaching the nations—I’m looking to build a team of supporters who believe in this vision. I’m inviting people like you to partner with me—whether that’s through financial giving, regular prayer, or even just sharing my story with someone else who might be moved by it.

Every prayer, every dollar, and every word of encouragement makes a difference—not just in my life, but in the lives of the people I’m reaching. Together, we can bring light to the darkest places and hope to the hopeless. Let’s help the nations know Jesus.

Thank you for being a part of this story.

Thad