Rita was an elderly and lonely woman who lived deep in the woods. She loved to help people but since no one came her way it was really hard for her to do. Rita loved to pray and she prayed all day long. One day she prayed to The Blessed Mother and begged her to pray for her. All of a sudden, Rita had an idea! Rita’s idea was to build a cabin for anyone who needed it. She built it right away and was confident that God was going to send someone to her that needed it.

One day while Rita was picking berries, she heard someone crying. She found a little boy who was very hungry. Without hesitation she gave the little boy her berries and told him to come and pick berries at her house anytime he wanted to.

The following morning, Rita went to Mass and thanked God for sending the little boy to her. On her way home she passed a little girl hauling wood. She was struggling with a big load and her face was very red. Rita stopped and gave her a bottle of water. She saw that the little girl was shaking from being so cold, so she gave the little girl her coat. The little girl told Rita that since her dad was in prison she had to take over all his chores. Rita stopped and prayed with the girl for her father.
Rita went straight to the prison to visit the girl’s father. When she asked for him a man came out and told her that he had passed away the night before. Rita threw her hands up to heaven and yelled,

“I’m too late.” She then remember the corporal work of mercy, bury the dead. She made all of the arrangements for the funeral for the family. She didn’t want them to struggle with that as well.
As Rita was lying in bed that night, she thanked God for allowing her to help His people. She wondered what would happen next.  How else could she serve Him? She was so excited to go out the next morning and find a soul to help.

Rita did not get out of bed the next morning. She was very sick and had to call the doctor. The doctor told her she needed to stay in bed. Rita cried for days and her health got worse and worse everyday.
The doctor came back to check up on  her and he brought two friends with him. It was the little boy and the little girl that she had helped. They came to visit her. The little girl assured Rita that it was her job to finish the works of mercy for her and she was happy to keep coming to learn more about God from her.

The little boy said that he would not be back because they were going to take the train to find a warmer place to live because of the hard weather. Rita asked the boy to bring his family and to move into the warm cabin she had built. The boy brought back his father the next day and they agreed to move in. Rita was so happy to help God’s children.