Students at a public school in Managua, Nicaragua, after receiving Scriptures from the
Bible Society of Nicaragua. American Bible Society is currently funding Scriptures for the
Indian Miskitu people and for children with cancer there. Art Borden helped set up the
Bible Society of Nicaragua in 1969. (Photo courtesy of the Bible Society of Nicaragua.)

“I started picking blueberries and delivering newspapers at 11 and haven't been unemployed since,” said Art Borden, speaking by phone from his retirement community in Virginia. Art retires for good on June 30, after a career spanning 71 years and six different career paths. For some 30 of those years, Art worked for American Bible Society. He helped establish the Bible Societies in Venezuela, Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Panama.

Art readily admits that he was no expert in any of the jobs he endeavored to do, but he would commit to doing each one to the best of his ability. He knew he didn't have to know the answer to every question, but he had to know whom to ask. His other jobs ranged from representing two agencies of the government of Puerto Rico in Washington, D.C., to being president of the Evangelical Council of Financial Accountability.

Art has certainly made the most of every opportunity. He always maintained that if an organization was worth his time working there, then it was worth supporting as well. And to him it made sense to be “giving while I'm living” so he could be sure where his gifts were going. He and his wife Alice have 17 gift annuities with American Bible Society.

In the last couple of years, Art and Alice have turned 80. To help celebrate, their children wrote 80 things they learned from Dad and 80 things they love about Mom. These lists read like Proverbs — rife with wisdom, humor and love.

From Art, his children learned “how to enjoy Jersey corn and tomatoes; that driving to get somewhere is part of the vacation; and that it is easier to make a good first impression than to overcome a bad one.”

About Mom, they said she “prepares meals with plenty of food for everyone; taught us to love Jesus and trust him for our salvation; and taught us the value of a dollar.”

Art and Alice continue to give generously because they know they are merely stewards of God's gifts.

If you would like to learn more about leaving a legacy gift to American Bible Society, please visit ABSGift.org