Gary Skinner is the visionary and passionate Team Leader of Watoto Ministries including the dynamic Watoto Church which he founded together with his wife Marilyn in 1983 in the heart of Uganda’s war torn capital, Kampala. Watoto Church is a cell based, community church with over 20,000 people gathering each Sunday morning to celebrate Christ. Gary passionately believes it is the responsibility of the local church to solve community problems. Watoto Church cares for community holistically through 2100 cell groups that meet in homes each week
In 1994 Gary and Marilyn founded Watoto Child Care Ministries, an International Organization as a compassionate response to the cry of Africa’s millions of children orphaned as a result of HIV/AIDS. Currently they are caring for over 2500 Ugandan children in children’s villages where every child is raised in a family setting rather than an institution. Their vision is that these children will be raised to become future leaders of Uganda and Africa, The “Watoto Children’s Choir” tour the world annually as advocates for the 18 million African children currently orphaned by AIDS. “Concerts of Hope” are held in Churches, Community Halls and Schools. The choir has performed before Presidents and Royalty in the White House, Buckingham Palace and many other National Parliaments. Audiences are inspired as the children sing, dance and celebrate their story of hope.
Gary is committed to replicating the Watoto holistic model throughout Africa, He travels internationally as an advocate for the local church, inspiring people all around the world to stop "doing" church and start "being" the church.
Gary was born in Zimbabwe to missionary parents and is a fourth generation preacher. Gary has pastored in Canada, and Zambia. He is a father of three children and grandfather of four.
