Mercy Sheeps and Cows

Last week our team was on our way to visit one of our patients. We pulled up to a toll booth and my partner, sitting in the front seat says:
"Whats that on top of that car? Is that a cow??"
Sure enough, laying on top of the car in front of us was a dead cow, staring right at us. We laughed and started looking for the nearest camera.
"The batteries in mine are dead"
"I have one, its in my bag"

Then our translator pipes in.
"Do you not see the two in the trunk?"
"What!?"
Yup, inside this mini station wagon are two more dead cows, horns and all. Seriously, WHY isn't the camera always on and ready for these moments? We missed the picture but I don't think I will soon forget that image.
While recounting the story to my mom she asked over and over;
"Did you say cow?"
"mmm hmm, 3 of them"

A couple of days later I was walking through a market here, and came across a shop with some fun bracelets. I looked at one, a leather band with a shell on top. The shop owner quickly started telling me how the bracelet looked "very beautiful" on me. I mean my wrists are ok and all, but beautiful? I said I wasn't the biggest fan of the shell, maybe just a plain leather band would be better.
"This here is African. The Chinese, they make plain leather. The shell means its from Africa"
umm, ok.
Then he takes out these bangle-type bracelets. They were cool looking, but as someone looking to barter I didn't show too much enthusiasm. He picked 3 out and placed them on my (beautiful) wrist. I asked what the bracelets were made of, certainly not anything I had ever seen.
"Horns" he said with a thick accent.
"Horns?"
"Yes, horns"
"like COW horns"
"Yes, yes!"
I laughed and bartered with him until I was the proud owner of my "African" bracelet and 3 horn adornments (which he 'shined' with a well-used rag)
When I was leaving he asked the question I hear a lot these days.
"Are you with Mercy Sheeps?"
"oui, I am with Mercy Ships"

This life is the opposite of everything I know, everything I have learned. I love it.