KAI Team Spotlight: MacNeil

Every day at Oasis, Tía Vicky watches abused girls begin rediscovering something many had forgotten was possible: that they are chosen, they are clean, they are powerful, and they are masterpieces as children of God.

For Leslie Virginia López Castellanos — known lovingly by the girls and staff as “Tía Vicky” — that transformation is at the heart of her calling at Kids Alive Guatemala’s Oasis campus. As Residential Director, she leads the specialized trauma care team and creates a healing environment for girls who were once abused.

But for Vicky, the girls are never defined by the circumstances that brought them there.

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“My motto with the coordinator team is two things,” she shared. “First, we are daughters of God — let’s look at whatever we’re facing through that lens. And second, we are professionals — let’s do this well.”

That philosophy shapes the culture at Oasis every day. Through trauma-informed therapy, education, legal advocacy, discipleship, medical care, and consistent relationships with trusted adults, the Oasis team walks alongside girls as they experience healing, a restorative relationship with Christ, and hope for the future. The goal is not simply temporary protection, but helping each girl grow into the fullness of who God created her to be.

For Vicky, that work is deeply personal. She initially studied law before sensing God calling her towards full time ministry. At 22 years old, she stepped away from her studies and spent several years serving in pastoral ministry. During that season, she discovered that much of her calling centered around counseling and walking with people through difficult situations.

“I realized that what I was doing most was counseling,” she explained. “So I looked for a way to do it professionally and with excellence — for God and for His people.”

That journey eventually led her to study psychology. Years later, when a friend from church told her about an opening at Kids Alive Guatemala (Vida para Niños), she immediately connected with the mission.

“When I researched the organization, I fell in love with what they were dedicated to: the mission, the focus, the objective,” she said. “This place has been my favorite job of my entire life.”

At Kids Alive Guatemala, Vicky found a place where faith and professional, trauma informed care work together. She describes the freedom to pray with girls and staff members, open Scripture during difficult moments, and place Christ at the center of the work as one of the things she loves most about serving at Oasis.

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“The freedom to talk about God, to pray with someone, to stop what we’re doing and say, ‘Let’s pray right now’ — that fills my heart with deep satisfaction,” she shared.

Building an Environment Where Healing Can Grow

Each day offers a new adventure as she works to meet the unique needs of each child's healing journey. The work begins first thing in the morning. She addresses medical issues, meets transportation needs, communicates with other organizations, handles relationships with service providers, and so much more.

“No day ever goes as I planned it,” Vicky admitted. “But this place has trained me to be very versatile, very accessible, and to adapt.”

That patience and adaptability matter because healing is not about fitting children into a process—it is about understanding the unique story each child carries. Every wound, relationship, memory, gift, and dream matters because every child has been intentionally created by God with immeasurable value. At the heart of Oasis, healing is not treated as a formula. Instead, each girl is cared for with patience, flexibility, and the belief that her future is worth investing in.

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“Everything revolves around that great responsibility and commitment to God and to the mission,” Vicky explained.

Watching Girls Rediscover Hope

She shares that some of the most meaningful moments come from witnessing the girls embrace God's word for themselves—not only through progress in school or behavior, but in the way they begin to see their own value and identity.

One memory of another young girl still moves her deeply. She had arrived at Oasis with an incredibly painful history of trauma, but during a devotional, she gathered with the other girls to sing The Goodness of God. As Vicky looked across the room, she saw the young girl standing with her eyes closed and hands raised while singing the words, “I will sing of the goodness of God.”

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“I knew her story,” Vicky recalled. “I knew what she had been through. And she was standing there saying, ‘God is good.’”

For Vicky, the moment was a powerful reminder that healing is not about erasing the past. It is about helping girls experience hope, dignity, and the presence of God as they move forward.

“That moment,” she said, “is one of the most significant moments of my life.”

Vicky often watches girls arrive guarded, angry, or unsure whether the adults around them can truly be trusted. At first, some reject the staff completely.

“But then I get to watch the whole process,” she explained. “As they begin working through their trauma, their faces change. Their tone of voice changes. They begin to understand: these people aren’t here to harm me. They want to help.”

For Vicky, those moments reflect far more than behavior change. They are signs that a girl is beginning to feel safe enough to trust again, to rediscover her voice, and to believe she has value and a future worth fighting for.

“What my heart truly longs for, every single day, is to speak the Word of God,” she shared. “That’s what fills me.”

And through those faithful relationships, girls who once struggled to trust are beginning to discover something new:

Their lives have value. Their voices matter. And in Christ, their future as precious daughters holds the promises of God.

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Help Create Safe Places for Healing

Through programs like Oasis, Kids Alive International walks alongside vulnerable children and families through protective care, trauma-informed counseling, discipleship, family strengthening, and justice advocacy.

Your support helps children experience healing, dignity, and hope for a future free from fear and violence.

Support Kids Alive Guatemala to help create safe places where children can heal, grow, and thrive.

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A Calling From God

For César and Jaqueline, serving at Kids Alive began with a season of unexpected change. After the pandemic, both lost their jobs and began praying about their next steps.

Their connection to Kids Alive already ran deep. Their son had attended one of the ministry’s community programs, and through that experience they became more aware of the realities facing children who live in residential care. As they learned more about the children’s stories, they began sensing something. "We felt God calling us to serve in a more direct and committed way," César recalls.

Jaqueline remembers how one child’s story deeply affected her. Hearing about a child who had no parents opened her eyes to a reality that many people never see. "That experience moved us to get involved and to open our hearts to serve children who need care and protection," she says.

Today, more than four years later, they serve faithfully as caregivers and mentors at Kids Alive Peru's Juniper Tree Children's Home.

A Heart for Attentive Service

Both César and Jaqueline bring unique personal experiences that shape the way they care for children.

César’s childhood was marked by unequal treatment among siblings within a difficult family environment. That experience left a lasting impression on him. He takes care to treat each child with fairness, dignity, and love, "as if they were my own children."

Jaqueline describes herself as naturally open and service oriented. She strives to be present not only for the children but also for the Kids Alive staff around her. Listening, supporting, and helping wherever she can has become part of the culture of care she tries to create.

Together, their shared commitment helps shape an environment where children can experience stability and belonging.

Navigating Trauma-Informed Care

Caring for children who have experienced trauma comes with its own complexities. For César, one of the greatest challenges is preparing kids for life beyond the children’s home. While they are protected within the KAI home environment, the outside world often looks very different.

Part of his role is helping them develop discipline, responsibility, and respect so they can navigate the realities of adulthood while still feeling supported and loved.

Every day, Jaqueline is working to establish healthy boundaries. Each child carries a different story and healing process, and caregiving requires constant discernment.

What sustains them both is patience, persistence, and the willingness to keep walking alongside children even during difficult moments.

Witnessing Transformation

Over the years, César and Jaqueline have seen many lives change, but a few stories remain especially meaningful to them.

César remembers supporting a teenage boy through a difficult transition as he prepared to leave the children’s home. They stayed closely involved throughout the process. Later, the young man returned to visit them at their home and has remained in contact. César says, "It showed us that the love you invest truly leaves a lasting impact."

Jaqueline recalls a young boy who arrived carrying deep wounds of rejection. At first, he struggled to trust the people around him. Over time, as the couple intentionally made him feel like part of their family, his behavior began to change. Eventually, he started calling them “mom” and “dad.” "He started to feel loved," she recalls.

Serving With Faith at the Center

When asked what advice they would give to someone considering nonprofit work, both César and Jaqueline point to the same foundation: faith.

César believes this kind of service requires humility, forgiveness, and a deep spiritual grounding. "Without God, it would be very difficult to sustain this kind of work."

Jaqueline agrees. For her, understanding God’s forgiveness is what enables caregivers to extend grace to children who are still processing pain and loss. The work demands selflessness and daily reliance on Christ.

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Living Out “Justice that Heals. Bonds that Mend.”

Kids Alive’s tagline resonates deeply with both César and Jaqueline.

For César, justice means protecting children who have come from deeply unjust circumstances. It means "loving them, guiding them, and providing holistic care—creating bonds that allow their hearts and lives to be restored."

Jaqueline sees restoration happening through everyday relationships. Healing begins when people acknowledge mistakes, ask forgiveness, and create safe spaces built on respect, listening, and love.

Together, they're working every day to help children experience the healing that comes from belonging.

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Thank you for making it possible for caregivers like César and Jaqueline to provide loving homes where children can experience safety, belonging, and hope. Your support helps create justice that heals and bonds that mend for children all around the world. Want to learn more? Become a Safe Haven Champion today!

KAI Team Spotlight

A Heart Drawn to Serve

For two years, Sasha Reyes has served as a caregiver at a Kids Alive Peru home, offering gentle, consistent support to children in their restoration journeys. But her desire to serve others began long before arriving in Peru.

Back in Venezuela, Sasha worked with children and youth as a scout leader and often felt drawn to work rooted in care and guidance. When she learned about Kids Alive, she saw both the need and the opportunity to serve in a Christian organization, which made her decision even more meaningful.

Today, she sees her work as part of God’s invitation to walk closely with children who need compassion, stability, and hope.

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Joy in Everyday Moments

Sasha brings warmth to the home in simple but meaningful ways. Earlier this year, she adopted a cat that had once lived on the property. Sasha cared for her and the kittens she had. "I’ve since found homes for most of them," she says. "It’s been a really sweet experience."

Walking With Children Toward Hope

Some of the deepest work Sasha does happens in the quiet, slow process of helping children learn to trust again. One of her biggest challenges is connecting with kids who find it difficult to receive love. Many have lived through seasons when they did not feel safe or valued, and they guard their hearts as a way of protecting themselves.

Sasha responds by being a present source of love in their lives. Sometimes she attends school activities outside of work so the children know they matter. Her approach is simple but powerful: demonstrtrating that each child is important and worth showing up for. "It’s about showing them that they can trust and that they are truly seen," she says.

Restoring Confidence Through Encouragement

One moment Sasha will never forget happened during a visit from Chef Giacomo Bocchio earlier this year. A girl under Kids Alive's care who usually hid her artwork decided to share one of her paintings. Giacomo’s wife noticed, called her husband over, and together they encouraged the girl to continue developing her talent. They even offered support for her artistic growth.

Sasha mentions, "That small moment was powerful — it gave her so much confidence and helped her see herself and her gift in a new light. It was truly moving." Moments like these remind Sasha of how God uses everyday encounters to restore hope and identity in children’s lives.

A Life of Service Rooted in Faith

For those considering nonprofit ministry, Sasha believes it must be a calling from God. The work is full of blessings, but also moments of weakness and self-doubt. In those times, she turns to prayer, asking God for the strength to love well, to be patient, and to understand each child’s needs. "He asks us to deny ourselves, to follow Him, and to delight in Him so that our desires align with His."

She has seen many prayers answered within the staff as they support one another. "It’s a life that only makes sense when it’s rooted in faith," she says.

Living Out “Justice that Heals. Bonds that Mend.”

When Sasha first read Kids Alive’s tagline, it resonated deeply. "I used to think justice was only about lawyers and judges," she says. "But I’ve come to understand that what we do here — being present, caring, and consistent — is also a part of Justice that Heals."

Bonds that Mend are at the very heart of Sasha's work. Children at Kids Alive Peru learn they are loved and valued, even if their past might be filled with pain. Sasha sees it as an honor to help bring healing to their lives through caring relationships. "I never imagined God would use me for something so meaningful."

Thank you for making it possible for caregivers like Sasha Reyes to walk alongside vulnerable children with love, steadiness, and hope. Your support helps sustain work like this all around the world. Want to learn more? Become a Safe Haven Champion today!

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