How to add a stroke to an image that i don't want to "image trace"?

[Bethlehem32496932pafx]

Creating a copy on a silhouette version doesn't work since it leaves gaps, and if I somehow manage to do the "image trace - 6 colors" when adding the stroke it ends up making this mess, I always used photoshop, now I changed to illustrator, and I don't understand why it is SO COMPLICATED to put a stroke around an image

[Monika Gause]

You could try one of these: https://youtu.be/9y9e_CzJAMc 

[Ares Hovhannesyan]

You can use Effects->Path->Outline Object. This effects allow to add stroke and get silhouette from raster image that has transparent background. Please review my tutorial (sorry - video is in my native language). 

https://youtu.be/FqROavQEHsU?si=oeehQ27NQCPatsls&t=175