A Ceremony of Courage: The Story Behind the White Stone
What is the White Stone Ceremony?
“Today, we honor your bravery. You spoke the truth, you persevered, and you are walking forward in freedom. This white stone is a reminder of who you are — chosen, valued, and victorious.”
Those words were spoken by Rosalva Alvarado, Country Director of Kids Alive Guatemala, as eleven-year-old Daniela* stepped forward during a ceremony held at the Kids Alive Justice Center in Escuintla, Guatemala.
As Daniela’s mother gently clasped a small white stone necklace around her neck, the room grew still. The moment was quiet — but heavy with meaning.
For Daniela*, this was not simply a ceremony. It marked the end of a long, courageous journey and the beginning of something new.
What a White Stone Represents
At Kids Alive Guatemala, the White Stone Ceremony is a sacred milestone for children who have completed their justice and healing journey.
The ceremony is inspired by Scripture and symbolism — particularly the image of a white stone as a sign of renewal, identity, and restoration. During the ceremony, staff and families reflect on Psalm 23, sharing together about God as a good shepherd — present even in the darkest valleys, guiding His children forward with care and protection.
Through the symbolism of the white stone, children are reminded that God is rewriting their stories. What once held pain and fear does not get the final word.
As Rosalva shared with the children that day, the white stone represents courage, truth, and a future no longer defined by what was done to them — but by who God says they are.
A Moment That Ripples Through the Room
As Daniela* received her necklace, the room shifted.
Her social worker — who had sat beside her through every court appearance — felt tears rise. Her psychologist — who had gently guided her through months of therapy — smiled with pride. Her legal advocate — who had fought tirelessly for her protection — exhaled a grateful breath.
These were the people who had walked with her through every step: from her first disclosure to the final court hearing, from fear-filled nights to her first glimmers of hope.
Daniela* was not alone. Around her were other girls and boys holding their own white stones — each one marking a completed journey, each one carrying a story of perseverance, healing, and strength.
The pride radiating from the team was unmistakable. They had seen fear turn into courage. Silence turn into truth. Brokenness begin to mend.
This was not a victory for the children— it was a victory with them.
The Journey That Brought Her Here
Daniela’s* path to this moment began long before the ceremony.
After surviving abuse, she entered a legal process, challenging her mentally, emotionally, physically, and spiritually — sharing her testimony, answering questions from prosecutors, and undergoing medical examinations that were confusing and frightening.
At the same time, she began an 18-month therapeutic journey with Kids Alive Guatemala’s trauma-informed team. Through art, play, grounding exercises, and Scripture-rooted Life Identity Cards, she slowly found language for emotions she once buried.
She practiced new coping skills. She rebuilt trust with safe adults. She heard — again and again — the truth:
What happened to you does not define you. And it was never your fault.
Throughout the process, Daniela* was surrounded by a multidisciplinary circle of care:
A therapist helping her understand and regulate overwhelming emotions
A lawyer advocating fiercely for her rights and protection
A social worker supporting her family and ensuring safety
A discipleship mentor reminding her she is God’s beloved daughter — chosen, cherished, and never alone
This is what Kids Alive believes justice should look like: not rushed, not isolating, not limited to court outcomes — but restorative, relational, spiritual, and whole.
Justice That Heals, Bonds That Mend
At Kids Alive, our work is rooted in the call of Isaiah 1:17: “Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed.”
Justice Advocacy is not just about legal outcomes. It is about walking with children and families — restoring dignity, rebuilding trust, and creating space for true healing to take root.
Moments like the White Stone Ceremony remind us what becomes possible when a child is surrounded by people who believe her, protect her, and commit to walking with her — every step of the way.
Become a Safe Haven Champion
Because of supporters like you, children who have experienced abuse are not left to walk these journeys alone.
Your generosity helps provide legal advocacy, therapy, protective care, family support, and Christ-centered discipleship — building Safe Havens where justice heals and hope grows.
Though the COVID-19 pandemic has altered the way of life, the young ladies at Casa Ester have not allowed it to impede their education, their work, or their entrepreneurship efforts. Over the last few months, the young ladies have shifted to continuing their academic courses online. The internal Estercitas program has also helped them continue with their educational and special needs programs. As jobs in the local community are now scarce due to the COVID-19 crisis, most of the young women now go to Kids Alive’s Oasis Home to work in the kitchen and nursery.
House moms Marielos and July, both pre-school teachers by profession, now primarily care for Jacobo*, the son of one of our Casa Ester residents, who is attending preschool. Lately, Jacobo has begun to gain a spiritual understanding of the weight of this pandemic in our country and across the world. While our girls are making steady progress, so are our mentors and friends of the ministry who have continued to reach out to disciple them via video calls.
Many mentors have even brought special tokens of encouragement and left them at the front door of their mentees. The therapeutic aftercare program continues almost as normal. We also continue to serve the 17-year-old girls at Oasis who are in our pre-independence program.
Recently we have invested in the purchase of soap molds and new professional packaging materials to enhance the marketing appeal of the artisanal hand-made soap made by the Estercitas. A local photographer volunteered to take photos of our soap product line with the support of our friend Paola de Alvarado, who also created advertising graphics with price and descriptions of the new line of soaps.
We have had great support from friends of the ministry like Big Brands, a high-end boutique shoe store in Guatemala City, who have invited us to sell our soap line at their store. The young ladies in our program have been very motivated by all the support they have received. It's boosted their entrepreneurship drive to create even more diversified high-end products to sell, and these include decoupage bottles and hand-painted pieces of art.
We have experienced some difficult challenges over the past few months, but above all, we have witnessed the mercy and presence of God at Casa Ester in big ways.
Waleska Camposeco, Coordinator of Independence Program, Casa Ester
More than anything in recent years, COVID-19 has highlighted the strength and dedication of our residential ministries in the Dominican Republic, as our three projects in close collaboration are adapting well to minister effectively during these difficult times. In mid-March, to keep children and caregivers safe, our campuses were closed, with children and parents safely sequestered, along with adequate food supply in anticipation of possible shortages. To ensure children’s safety, entry to the residential homes was restricted to essential caregivers while older youth took on the responsibilities of cleaning and other chores. Directors and parents at the residential sites created “summer camp type” schedules integrating academics, devotions, recreation, and other special activities such as a movie night, picnics, and a dress-up gala to keep children’s spirits high. We are now planning a special summer vacation for our house parents to give them a two-week break from shouldering the much heavier responsibilities due to the pandemic.
Sheltered together in close proximity with limited support and no interaction with others outside the walls, families have bonded more closely and the youth have embraced additional responsibilities, and many have grown spiritually. All are grateful for the protection and provision they have received during this unique time.
On most days, enthusiasm is manifested in the joy, cheerfulness, and high-octane energy in the classroom and on the field at Ark Jarabacoa. But on rare occasions, a fruitful and an exhausting day results in chilling together! Discussion groups led by caregivers, teachers, or house parents, or a bit of fun like a weekend movie create balance and facilitate a sense of order in the lives of the children. Spending time together and intentionally participating in both educational and fun activities help children bond and learn social skills.
