The “Miss Stone Centre” is a diaconal institution part run by The United Methodist Church in North Macedonia. It includes several ministries: about 170 elderly or disabled people receive a hot meal (soup, main course, and dessert) delivered to their houses five times a week. In cases of urgent need, they also receive practical help (clothes, medicines, firewood, etc.). In addition to this unique ministry, around 50 hot meals are delivered to nearby Radovish to people in poverty. Responding to the needs of elderly and disabled people, a home care program is also in operation.

As the pandemic continues in 2021, the global economy has changed dramatically. North Macedonia is a country that had been poorly developed economically even before the pandemic. This means that now, with the pandemic, they are facing a double disaster: on the one hand the health of the nation, on the other hand the means of subsistence. At the beginning of 2021, there was a drastic increase in food prices and electricity. Every month, the prices of food products increase. For example: the total increase of the price for cooking oil increased by 85% within the first three months of 2021. Not all products suffered a similar price increase, but still the food products that are necessary to the everyday use are much too expensive. There has been a 22% increase in costs to the meals’ programmes since the beginning of 2021.

Through World Mission Partnership, Irish Methodists contribute to the World Mission Fund with The Methodist Church in Britain.
The World Mission Fund is supporting this work with an £8000 grant which will support additional living costs for 220 elderly persons connected with this ministry for a period of 6 months.  This is funding alongside support from other partners and local ‘in kind’ support.

This will secure uninterrupted operation of the diaconal activities of the “Miss Stone Centre”, including a “Meals on Wheels” program, the program “Hot meals for Radovish”, and the Home Care Ministry, thus helping more than 220 primarily elderly people.  It will also help to contain the Covid-19 pandemic by implementing high hygienic standards and provide a vital contribution towards improving the living conditions of the beneficiaries.