Little Nikki Rideout was separated from most of her family for the past week. Saturday the red tape lifted and they were reunited in Newfoundland.

A Newfoundland missionary couple fought to bring their adopted child from Thailand into Canada for a visit. The five-year-old girl is HIV-positive and had been deemed medically inadmissible.

The decision, publicized in the middle of last week, angered AIDS activists. Federal Immigration Minister Lucienne Robillard reacted by issuing a special permit allowing the girl to enter Canada on a six-month visitor's visa.

Roy and Avis Rideout are Pentecostal ministers who run a home for children with AIDS in Thailand. They adopted five-year-old Nilki, who has the virus that causes AIDS but is otherwise healthy.

The Rideouts wanted to bring Niki home for a visit, but Canadian officials balked, even though AIDS or HIV-positive status is not supposed to be a barrier to visiting Canada.

Turned down for a visa in Bangkok, they tried to take their chances with a flight via Amsterdam. They were refused a flight to Canada without the visa. Avis and Nikki waited out the week in Holland.