THE CHURCH
OF ENGLAND
OF ENGLAND
THE CHURCH
OF ENGLAND
OF ENGLAND
On the other side of the world in Chile Andy and Patty Bowman are supported by USPG. Andy graduated in design and after various employment eventually got involved with self help building projects in Uruguay. Andy works with the Pehuenche Amerindians who live in isolated circumstances in the Andes, in the Alto Bio Bio. For two months each winter they are cut off by two metres of deep snow in simple houses made of axe-split logs, which are no protection against the cold. Andy is training them in building skills to enable them to build their own good, affordable housing.
Andy married Patricia, from San Miguel in Santiago, in her family’s parish church in 1995. Her degree course in commercial engineering was put on hold when their first child, Alasdair, was born in 1997. Early in 2004 another son, David, was born. They are based in Cocepcion to give Andy access to the bank, the Ministry of Housing and all the materials needed to coordinate the project. He organises equipment ready to be taken up to communities in Caunicu where he also spends a great deal of time. The church in Concepcion helped supply a pick-up truck to take the building materials up the miles of dirt roads the Pehuenche built themselves, but an ATV quad bike, funded by USPG has been the only economical vehicle that can pull them up the steeper slopes. The families have faced a great deal of opposition from government departments and mining companies deceiving them into surrendering their land rights. At one point USPG funded a good local lawyer to represent them.
The Pehuenche families all work together to complete each house in the group. They have very little but their faith, what little they have they share with joy.
Andy married Patricia, from San Miguel in Santiago, in her family’s parish church in 1995. Her degree course in commercial engineering was put on hold when their first child, Alasdair, was born in 1997. Early in 2004 another son, David, was born. They are based in Cocepcion to give Andy access to the bank, the Ministry of Housing and all the materials needed to coordinate the project. He organises equipment ready to be taken up to communities in Caunicu where he also spends a great deal of time. The church in Concepcion helped supply a pick-
The Pehuenche families all work together to complete each house in the group. They have very little but their faith, what little they have they share with joy.