By Bev Holmes-Brown
Special to Assist News Service

Carl and Gail Musch are the founders of Indigenous Ministry Links Australia (IMLA), a non-denominational networking of aboriginal ministries that is supported by a multi-cultural core team. Carl, himself of English Convict, Austrian and Apache (Native American) decent, has since 1987 been committed to evangelism, discipleship, ministry development, and church planting, among Australian Aboriginal people, with proven fruit in what is recognized as a difficult field.

Their ministry is distinguished by a commitment to those in the greatest need and isolation, a respect for both the dignity and capability of indigenous people, and faith in "The God of the Breakthrough." Gail, previously ministering with "Students for Christ" in Japan, joined Carl in January 1994.

"Most people will never know what it is really like on the field," says Carl, describing his life as a missionary to the Northern Territory of Australia.

"On summer nights I sleep on the roof of my truck and in winter I put my swag down on the ground close to the car as it is warmer there. I am not always thrilled with my accommodation options and there are very few luxuries in the places I visit," he explained.

Carl and his wife Gail have served the Lord in remote regions of the Northern Territory for many years now and have seen God transform many lives and communities through their consistent witness and work.

Carl is a firm believer in measurable outcomes in missionary activity.

"If the Gospel is preached," he says, "then there must be responses and lives should be changed."

He trains those who follow him with an understanding of this need for accountability where successes are clear for all to see and the fruit of their work is evident. They have planted churches, seen much Kingdom growth and have raised new leaders who can take the work further into needy indigenous communities.

Carl believes that God is raising up indigenous people to fulfill a destiny that is corporately a unique and significant leadership role in Revival, Restoration and Awakening -- both in Australia and around the world.

A visitor to one particular indigenous community that Carl has served in would be amazed at the conditions people live in.
"They would think it a God-forsaken place," he said, "and if you compare it with what you are used to seeing then it pretty rugged. But, if you had seen this same place before the Gospel had had a chance to take effect then you would have deemed it a disaster."

When Carl first visited this community he says that "the dogs were hairless and covered in wart-like lumps that made them look like Cane Toads. They had so many ticks in them I couldn't believe they were still alive as there must have been more blo od in the ticks than in the actual dogs," he added.

The grass between the houses was ten foot high. "Two ladies I visited were neighbors and they couldn't even see each other's houses," Carl said. "When I arrived, the only food they had was rolled oats and tea bags."

Some weeks prior, the Police had come and taken away all unlicensed guns in compliance with new gun laws; the people therefore had no food, no way of getting food, as the guns were used in hunting, and no transport - all the cars and even the tractor were broken down through flood damage.

"The Community had only had one day of school," he recalled, "and the teacher that flew in one Monday to teach the children, flew out again on the Tuesday at lunchtime."

As the message of the Gospel began to permeate the lives of these people there has been a significant change. "There hasn't been an arrest for Grog-running (alcohol) for some time," Carl said, "and the behavior of the children is radically different to what it was before. They even have a teacher who comes regularly and on the day he isn't there one of the Christian ladies runs kids church for much of the day.

"They have slashed the grass in the community and some of the guys have even formed a Land Care Co-Op that provides services over the region.

"It is still a rough place to live in as the water supply is dodgy, and for much of the year you need a plane to go shopping and it is almost impossible to find the road, but compared to the disaster-zone it was prior to the Gospel reaching this place, the level of change is huge.

"The dogs even have hair now, I don't know what happened, some kind of healing miracle among dogs," he laughed, "but they actually look like dogs again."

Drug Proofing Indigenous Communities

Carl is currently involved in three days of consultations with Focus on the Family in Melbourne as they work together, sharing insights and resources, to adapt the "Drug Proof Your Kids" (DPYK) program for indigenous communities.

"Many of the people in these remote areas are illiterate and the communities themselves have limited power. We are investigating ways we can formulate the DYPK program for aboriginal use and resource parents so that they can positively influence their children and consequently reduce drug and substance abuse in these regions."

Indigenous Ministry Links Australia (IMLA), World Outreach International (WOI), Compassion Australia and Focus on the Family Australia, have provided initial funding for this venture but more is needed for all involved to achieve their goal of taking this revised version of Drug Proofing Your Kids to remote and desperately needy indigenous regions.

Aboriginal Artwork

Aboriginal artwork revolves around story-telling and so in the near future Carl will be flying aboriginal Christian leaders, many of whom are artists, into Cairns. There they will be given a mandate to produce artwork that will be used to define the six major subject areas of the DYPK program and share their stories of parenting in a challenging environment which will enrich the program and make it relevant to their target group.

When all the groundwork is completed, he will have trained indigenous leaders that are able to use computers and then will take PowerPoint presentations into remote communities.

Part of the vision of Indigenous Ministry Links Australia is to finance aboriginal Christian ministries and support of community development initiatives in areas where we work through the marketing of their indigenous crafts.

They have a number of aboriginal artworks and aboriginal art based Christian text prints currently available and a full list can be obtained from: imla@imla.org.au

If you would like more information about the work of IMLA or are perhaps interested in being involved, please visit their website: www.imla.org.au

Bev Holmes-Brown lives in Brisbane, Australia.  In 2001 she began Link-Zone, a Christian Resource ministry with a mandate to “Bring the Body together in specific interest areas and to Believe and Pray for the Reformation of Values, Systems and Wisdom.“ In the last nine years Link-Zone has focussed on praying for governments, communities and ministries.  ‘We are currently transitioning,’ Bev says, ‘believing the Lord wants us to begin to tell people’s stories.  There are so many people living amazing and victorious lives for God against the odds, we want to hear from them, to understand their hearts and glean the treasures that God has laid up in their hearts for our own breakthroughs.    Of course we will continue to feature our favourite columnists and will not give up on praying but we believe this is a season where God wants us to identify and clarify the frontlines that need our support.   It’s exciting to venture into whatever He lays upon our heart. The website can be found at www.Link-Zone.net  Contact Email: bev@link-zone.net