FAITH NEWS SERVICE – For years, Huw Donaldson was written off as one of New Zealand’s worst individuals. His world was one of gangs, chaos, violence, and constant brushes with the law. Raised in a good but short lived home in Canterbury, Huw’s path took him deep into the underworld of Christchurch’s motorcycle club scene. He was no stranger to the police holding cells from a young age, and violence became his currency. His story seemed destined for only one of two endings: life behind bars, or an early grave. But destiny had other plans.
Huw’s new book, Gangland to Guinea, is the gripping, unfiltered account of a life spiraling out of control, and the unimaginable twist that changed everything: an encounter with God that turned a feared criminal into a servant on the frontlines of mission work in Sierra Leone, West Africa.
A Life in the Shadows
“From Gangland New Zealand I came, but it was to West Africa, God’s hidden treasure, that I was headed to and this would be the staging point of God’s transformation on my life,” Huw stated.
The story unfolds in raw, brutal honesty. Huw takes readers inside the motorcycle club culture of Christchurch, a world hidden from the public eye, where violence was survival and loyalty was often sealed in blood. The book doesn’t shy away from the realities: the chaos, the brutality, the constant fear of when the next fight—or the next funeral—would come.
It’s not just a crime story; it’s a human story of searching for meaning in all the wrong places.
The Turning Point
After years of going backwards and forwards, progressing before stumbling again, Huw’s path crossed with something he never expected: the transformative power of Christ. What began in the shadows of a prison cell became the foundation of an entirely new life.
“When I was still in my very early twenties and facing a second term of imprisonment, I can recall feeling quite down on myself and the prospects of my future,” Huw said. “It was through reading about and hearing about the success stories of faith-filled people that had come from an equally disastrous background as myself that I was able to not only feel better about myself but also to have some belief in the idea of a successful future.
“Any person, which is nearly all of us, that has regrets, brokenness, heartbreak, or suffered through an existence that at some point they wished they could have changed, can take encouragement from this book. Hey, if God can help me make a life for myself, then he can do it for anyone.”
Huw’s encounter with God didn’t just change his outlook. It rewrote his destiny. Today, instead of running with gangs in Christchurch, he runs with a new mission: serving people in Sierra Leone, one of the poorest nations in the world.
From Christchurch to Sierra Leone
The second half of Gangland to Guinea reads like a completely different story—yet it’s the same man at the center. Readers follow Huw as he leaves behind the chaos of New Zealand’s gang scene to serve in West Africa. It’s here that his testimony takes on a global dimension: the same man once trapped by violence is now bringing hope and practical help to communities in need.
“I could imagine that this story is so incredible that it’s actually hard for most people to believe,” admits Huw. “But I can assure you it is real. And what is even more important than that, is that Jesus Christ and the God which the Bible talks about is also real. And if you are critical of that theory right now, then read this adventure and by the end of it, you will be open to the reality of Christ and how good He is.”
More Than a Memoir
Gangland to Guinea isn’t just another memoir. It’s a book that straddles genres: part gritty true-crime tale, part thriller, part faith testimony. It’s a story that grips readers with the rawness of its honesty, but also leaves them with something even more powerful—hope.
Huw explains. “For the one who wonders if it’s too late to change, for the skeptic, the believer, and everyone in between. I want people to know: if God could take me, someone once considered among New Zealand’s worst, and set me free, then no one is beyond His reach.”
Why This Book Matters
In a world where headlines are dominated by crime, violence, and broken lives, Gangland to Guinea offers something different: a reminder that transformation is possible. It’s a story that challenges stereotypes, raises questions about identity and purpose, and points to a hope far greater than self-help or second chances.
Readers will come away with more than just a gripping story. They’ll gain perspective. They’ll gain encouragement. And many will discover that redemption is not just possible—it’s powerful, and it’s available to anyone.
A Story You Can’t Put Down
At its core, Gangland to Guinea is about contrast: from gangland to mission field, from despair to hope, from prison walls to wide-open horizons. It’s the kind of story that makes readers pause and reflect on their own lives, and the lives of those around them.
In Huw’s words: “Gangland to Guinea isn’t just my story. It’s an invitation. To believe again in change, in purpose, and in the God who makes all things new.”
For anyone who loves a gripping true story, who’s searching for meaning, or who simply wants proof that no one is ever too far gone—this is a book you can’t afford to miss. Gangland to Guinea, published by Ark House, is available now—read it, share it, and discover a redemption story that might just change your life, or the life of someone you love.
