our background

Irvin and Ruth Schwandt are not new to Africa.

After his graduation from Elim Bible Institute in Lima, New York, Irvin came to Kenya in 1970 to be a teacher. He left teaching in 1994, when he became involved in the administration of a baby home.

Ruth moved to the Belgian Congo with her parents in 1957. Her ministry brought her to Kenya to teach. Ruth is also a registered nurse and a State Certified Midwife.

Irvin and Ruth worked for four years in another home in Kenya which takes babies from birth to one year. About half of the babies admitted were HIV+. They found that with proper care, medication, and lots of love, the vast majority of the HIV+ babies sero-converted to HIV negative.  Since that home only had facilities for babies, they felt that a home was needed for long term care. The result? The formation of Rehema Home.