About Peter
Early Years
Peter in 1970 - First Year at UCT
Peter Jenkins was born in Harare, Zimbabwe, in 1951. His parents were both high school teachers - his father taught Geography and English, and his mother taught Maths. (His father ended his career in education as Headmaster of Cranborne Boys High in Harare.) Peter attended Avondale and Blakiston junior schools in Harare, and completed his secondary school education at Prince Edward. He was awarded a government scholarship for the top ten 'A' level results in the country. (You can see his wife is writing this bio, with him muttering 'I don't want to say things like that' in the background!)
He achieved a B Sc Chem Eng Hons at the University of Cape Town with a bursary from de Beers. Thereafter, he completed a compulsory year of national service and began his career as a trainee metallurgist at Koffiefontein Diamond Mine in 1975.
Peter married Vivian Ogden at Victoria Falls in 1976, and they settled in Bindura where Peter was superintendent of the smelter at Trojan Nickel Mine. Their first two sons were born there before they spent two years at CFNI in Dallas, Texas, USA, Their daughter was born in Dallas.
In 1982, Peter and Vivian returned to Zimbabwe and settled in Gweru. They immediately joined a small group of enthusiastic people to become involved with starting Midlands Christian School and Midlands Christian College. Peter was associate pastor in a local church, New Life Centre, and soon became very involved in missions outreaches in Zambia, and later the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was a founder of Africa for Christ Bible College, Zimbabwe, together with Doug Darby and Cyril Ogden.
Peter - Residence Rugby in his first year at UCT.
Their third son was born in 1985. Education, marriage, four wonderful children - a career on the go. The first 35 years were packed full - and fulfilling.
Educator
Vivian taught at MCS and MCC and then became pioneer principal of Midlands Christian Training Centre in 1992. A UNISA Distance Learning Centre, MCTC trained teachers for MCS and MCC and took in many others sponsored by other ATS schools. Peter became involved in missions and spent a lot of time working with church leaders throughout Zimbabwe and Zambia and later, the Democratic Republic of Congo.
In 1985, Vivian began writing the #SunriseReaders with Chrissie Lewis - published by Longman Zimbabwe. Over the next few years, they completed twenty early childhood readers for Grades One and Two. These are used in schools all over Zimbabwe to date.
Recent Years
UK
In 2007, Vivian and Peter moved to London to work in an inner city church for four years.
https://www.gospelcentre.co.uk
South Africa
In 2011, they returned to Africa where they now reside in the beautiful Mother City - Cape Town.
Their strong connection with Zimbabwe, Zambia and DRC continues, with new recent heart-connections with Mozambique.
Recent News
Peter Jenkins God has a plan … This is an overview of how God had a plan in the beginning to use people, made in His image, to fulfil His purposes on the earth. Central to His plan was the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. The outworking of this plan has happened, and is happening, over thousands of years, and each of us has a part to play in that plan.
Read MoreReflections on a modern-day miracle by Peter Jenkins During his time on earth Jesus was always looking for people in need: healing the sick, raising the dead, helping those in poverty. He seemed to sense in his spirit whenever there was a need and then went out of his way to meet it. I wish I was as sensitive as Jesus. Unfortunately, many times I am far too busy with my programme to listen to the voice of God guiding me into His programme. This story is an illustration of how God will use us even when we’re too busy to listen properly: We had been doing a lot of training on Cell Groups and Discipleship in Zimbabwe and Zambia. After a couple of years of implementation on the ground I wanted to visit the churches in many parts of Zambia to see how well this training had been applied.…
Read MoreSome Notes on the History of #AfricaforChristBibleCollege – #AFCBC by PETER JENKINS 2 March, 2020. EARLY THOUGHTS ON BIBLE COLLEGE IN ZIMBABWE Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Mat 28:18-20 My parents were both teachers, and I studied for an engineering degree and worked for Anglo American before going to Christ for the Nations Bible College in August 1980, so studying myself and teaching others seemed like normal things to do. They also fit well with the Great Commission and the serious lack of trained UAFC leaders that existed…
Read MoreI was born in 1951 in Harare, Zimbabwe (Salisbury, Rhodesia at that time), the oldest of three children. My primary schooling was at Avondale and Blakiston, and then I went to high school at Prince Edward, before heading down to UCT. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians, and editing to make it personal, I read that: I was dead in my transgressions and sins, in which I used to live when I followed the ways of this world… “Because of his great love for me, God, who is rich in mercy, made mealive with Christ even when I wasdead in transgressions—it is by grace Ihave been saved. And God raised meup with Christ and seated mewith him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to mein Christ Jesus. For it is by grace I have been saved,…
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