Robbery hinders man on a mission

Paul Mack wants to continue his trip around the world spreading his message. Photo / Alan Gibson

Parked outside a church on a sunny Sunday morning, it was the last place Paul Mack would ever have imagined being ripped off.

Mr Mack, who arrived from Ireland last week, is in the country as part of a mission to spread love, hope and kindness to the world - gathering support for charities worldwide.

On Sunday, while riding through Thames, the sound of St James Parish Union Church's choir tempted Mr Mack to stop and head inside to pray. "I wanted to thank God that I'm alive," he said. "I come outside and there's nothing there - I thought some of the ladies must have moved it because of the sun and I thought that was so nice."

After morning tea, he inquired about his bike - to find out nobody had seen it. "I just realised then," Mr Mack said. "I just froze. I was standing there in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, my toothbrush to my passport gone - I had nothing."

His bike was found stripped nearby with a video camera, digital camera, two iPods, a discman, shoes and clothing among the items stolen, along with Mr Mack's travel documents and credit cards. "I just thought: 'It's 10 o'clock on a Sunday morning. I'm going to church and it's New Zealand - it'll be safe."'

The founder of the Blanket Earth Project is set to cycle across 42 countries, spreading his message of love and harmony and also
inviting schools to create a piece of a huge blanket to be presented at the London 2012 Olympics.

Having cycled through Ireland, Scotland, Norway, Holland and Australia, New Zealand was the sixth country on Mr Mack's agenda and he is now taking people up on their offers of free accommodation, food, support and advice while he sorts out his plans.

Mr Mack said he had already seen the giving spirit of Kiwis and hoped to continue his journey throughout the country and world. "I still love New Zealand. It's a beautiful place with amazing people. I just want my stuff back," he said.