Volunteer Profile: Dr. Bucky Farrow — Finding Purpose, Faith, and Impact Through Medical Missions
Dr. Buckminster “Bucky” Farrow, a general surgeon, has served with Faith In Practice since 2017 and currently leads two surgical mission teams each year. One team serves at Obras Sociales Hospital in Antigua each spring, while the other serves at Hospital Hilario Galindo in San Felipe, Retalhuleu, during the summer.
In December 2025, Dr. Farrow received the Memorial Hermann Medical Mission Dr. Charlotte Alexander Exemplary Physician Award. Named in honor of one of the physicians who founded the Medical Missions Program, the award recognizes a Memorial Hermann physician who embodies the spirit of service at the heart of the program. When Brent Peery, Vice President of Chaplaincy Services at Memorial Hermann, presented the award, Dr. Farrow responded simply, “I’m not worthy.” His humility reflects a life devoted to service, and a faith lived without seeking recognition.
For Dr. Farrow, Faith In Practice is more than a professional commitment – it is a calling that shapes both how he practices medicine and how he lives his faith. “I love what I do [as a surgeon], and I’m blessed to be able to do what I do,” he shared. “Going on a mission trip to take care of people is the essence of what I’m called to do.” Over years of service, Dr. Farrow has shown that the true rewards of medicine are found in presence, trust, and compassion.
Dr. Farrow’s journey with Faith In Practice began in 2017, when he joined his first mission trip to Guatemala alongside Dr. Sean Boutros. At the time, he was immersed in the pressures of daily clinical practice and the administrative demands of private medicine. That first mission renewed his sense of purpose, allowing him to rediscover the joy of using his surgical skills solely to serve others. The opportunity to focus entirely on patient care brought Dr. Farrow clarity, fulfillment, and a renewed faith in the practice of medicine.
He continued serving with Dr. Erik Askenasy’s Faith In Practice surgical teams in 2018 and 2019, where he began to see the potential to expand mission work in Guatemala. Inspired by his colleagues and the overwhelming need he witnessed, Dr. Farrow felt called to lead a team of his own. Reflecting on that time, he said, “I have such a gratitude for the people that I served with on Erik Askenasy’s team and Sean Boutros’ team because they are people who share the same passion I do for going somewhere we’re needed and helping people.”
Although the COVID-19 pandemic delayed those plans, Dr. Farrow’s persistence and faith carried him forward. In 2021, he successfully led his first surgical team to Guatemala. “As soon as I started a team, I had 5-6 people who told me to call them when I needed them, and they would be there,” he shared. That core group became the foundation of a team that has continued to grow each year.
In 2024, Dr. Farrow expanded his leadership to two mission teams annually – one of which traditionally includes his birthday on July 4. He fondly recalled growing up in Michigan with parades, fireworks, and community celebrations, noting that while Guatemala doesn’t observe the holiday, being there still makes his birthday meaningful. “I want to have a good birthday and spend my favorite week of the year in Guatemala. Combining them feels way better,” he said.
The faith-based mission of Faith In Practice plays a central role in Dr. Farrow’s continued involvement and has deeply shaped his spiritual life. Serving alongside others who share his values has helped restore his faith in the practice of medicine itself. He describes the mission experience as unburdened and pure – focused entirely on healing and human connection. “I’ve seen the way God moves in people,” Dr. Farrow explains. “I’ve seen it through the volunteers themselves, and I’ve seen how God has worked in me to bring me closer to Him.” Through years of service, he has learned that, “I just need to trust God more, and be present, and serve Him. However many patients He wants to bring us, that’s how many we’re going to take care of.”
In addition to his medical mission work, Dr. Farrow serves as a Navy reservist – a role that reflects his deep sense of duty and service. At age 49, he joined the Navy, committing to one weekend a month and two weeks a year, often outside of Texas. He recently re-upped for another three to four years of service, underscoring his continued dedication to serving wherever he is needed.
Dr. Farrow is also deeply passionate about the Faith In Practice Mobility Clinics that accompany many surgical missions, including his own, as well as all medical clinic missions. Mobility Clinics create meaningful opportunities for non-medical volunteers to serve in tangible, life-changing ways. From fitting and distributing wheelchairs to assisting families, Mobility Clinics open the door for more people of all backgrounds to participate in mission work. “For some reason, [my team] has a lot of nurses who are married to engineers, and it’s a wonderful opportunity for both spouses to use their unique gifts to serve other people together,” Dr. Farrow shared. He has seen firsthand how assembling a wheelchair can be just as meaningful for a volunteer as receiving one is for a patient. These shared moments of dignity, joy, and connection ripple outward to families and entire communities. Including a Mobility Clinic significantly expands a mission’s reach – “We can do around 80 surgeries, and the team can [distribute] 100 wheelchairs,” Dr. Farrow explains. “That’s 180 people’s lives that are much better afterwards…It’s a doubling-impact kind of thing.”
Dr. Farrow also speaks with deep appreciation for his Guatemalan colleagues. “We couldn’t do it without the Faith In Practice staff and the staff at the hospitals. They all make it easy,” he said. He specifically highlighted the work of the internal medicine physicians at Hospital Hilario Galindo, whose thorough patient evaluations and dedication help make the work more effective. Working across cultures and systems has been one of the most rewarding aspects of Dr. Farrow’s mission work. In Guatemala, he says, medicine feels like a return to the Garden of Eden – a place where healing happens without external constraints, rooted in service, humility, and grace. “You get to do the thing that God created you to do, just like in the Garden,” Dr. Farrow explained.
As Dr. Farrow looks ahead to future missions, continued Navy service, and ongoing leadership with Faith In Practice, his heart remains firmly anchored in Guatemala. His story is one of rediscovery – of purpose, faith, and the profound impact that comes from serving others. For anyone considering volunteering, Dr. Farrow’s journey offers a simple but powerful invitation: step in, show up, and trust that the experience will change you. As he shared, “This trip is always in God’s hands. God is so good, and He’s with us in all of this. All He’s asking for is for us to just show up, and to want to serve Him.”
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The Memorial Hermann Medical Missions Committee was founded in 1999. It offers scholarships for air travel to Memorial Hermann employees and employees of Memorial Hermann medical staff. In addition, it offers supplies to Memorial Hermann medical staff participating on medical mission trips and supports eligible retired staff and retired physicians. Memorial Hermann Medical Missions Committee Information: https://memorialhermann.org/giving-back/medical-missions
If you’re passionate about volunteering and are considering medical mission work with Faith In Practice, we invite you to explore exciting opportunities at www.faithinpractice.org/volunteer and discover the various impactful roles available. Join us in making a difference in Guatemala!
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