A Christian school group helps the Lakota nation forge a future.

USA (MNN)–Elsewhere, Worldwide Christian Schools‘ Dale Dieleman says they’re helping launch a Native American training project.

The project is the culmination of over four years of talks with the Lakota people. Dieleman says they’re providing the space and some direction for an indigenous vocational training program near the South Dakota reservation.

The goal is to see the program remain Lakota-driven. “What they really wanted to do was to address the population of those 18 and over,” explains Dieleman, “because these are the people that are unemployed, that are most at-risk in terms of alcohol and substance abuse, these are the people who are heads of families.”

He adds they’re also assisting with the foundational aspects of the church body. “The leadership is also seeing the need to develop a discipleship center on this property. They feel the future of Christian development on the reservation is to train the laity. The laity is in need of Bible training, Bible knowledge.”